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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
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The Bank Tavern, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 2HR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Bank Tavern
As described below, this is a decent alehouse tucked away just off the shopping streets and hidden by The Lanes bowling alley. Basic food was on at a fair price, there was a family in with well-behaved children but otherwise it was solo drinkers. Ales on were 1846 Stout, Red 5, Don’t Worry, Be Hoppy, Wildwood and Natural’s Proper Drop. The ales were in very good condition, served with a smile. Craft beers were Stateside IPA and Neck Oil, predictably over-chilled and over-priced. I’d be very happy to come back in for a few beers, and it’s a good candidate for a crawl.
On 2nd February 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3281 recommendations about 3246 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Bank Tavern
A long-overdue revisit. Feels somewhat lighter inside than I recall – has the varnishing been toned down? There is certainly less ‘stuff’ than before. Four cask were on though a weird selection with three of them being 4.8% or above. My Butcombe Original had not matured long enough to be as truly enjoyable as I know it can, but it did enough to pass muster (NBSS 3). Comedy in the bogs, with the gents cubicle door having had a large chunk sawn out of it to accommodate what I assumed to be a replacement toilet. Pity the chap who fitted it, re-hung the door and then thought “oh shit!”. Anyway this is still a good pub to know about in the city centre but it isn’t really first division.
May 2013
Nestled away in the warren of narrow streets that snake through this part of the city centre, the Bank sits adjacent to a couple of 1970’s office blocks that tower overhead and rather cut out the natural light. This is a small, fairly basic boozer, L-shaped with dark wood panelling, boarded floor, padded banquettes, leaded windows and flock wallpaper. Four ales and two ciders on during my visit. The ales were a good mix and my chocolate stout (at 6.9%!) was tasty and a very reasonable £1.65 with a taster offered unprompted. Blackboards above bar hosted scribblings with ‘word’, ‘universal truth’ and ‘fact’ of the day which were amusing rather than crass (a fine line). Décor of note includes framed British banknote detail art, flowers in vases on the windowsills and a little hanging box with pigeonholes housing a variety of pieces from a Monopoly set. The rear fire looked real though was unlit (it could have done with being on though). The toilets were in pretty good order and appeared to have had a recent revamp. Classic rock at a reasonable volume was the piped music of choice. The sticky tables could do with a proper bit of grease-busting though. A good little stop-off and I’ll be seeking this one out again next time in Bristol. Rated 7
On 10th December 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Bank Tavern
This is a small, compact city centre pub with a simple, single room interior. The room is bare boarded throughout with the servery running midway down the right hand wall. High stools serve drinking ledges to the front of the room, with banquette and chair seating covering much of the remaining perimeter space. The bar has a dark wood panelled counter, broken part-way along by a massive pillar, and a fairy-light strewn canopy topped with a collection of board games. The front part of the room includes a deer skull collection above the front door, a large banknote image of the Queen above what appears to be a former fireplace and a limited pump clip collection. To the rear there are more banquettes, a smart fireplace with dark wood surround and a few dusty books on top and a few more banknote images of the Queen. Lots of outdoor seating was available in the small square outside the pub, resulting in the typically London-based phenomena of having more customers outside than in on an evening visit. A huge St George’s flag was spread across the ceiling although there was no suggestion that sport is regularly screened here, and a hip music soundtrack played throughout my stay.
On the bar, four hand pumps offered Butcombe Original and Rare Breed, Milk Street The Usual and Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout. I decided to have a pint of The Usual, served to me by a real cheery geezer-type of barman, and thought it was maybe a little past its best, if still very much drinkable.
This place offers a very simple, uncomplicated drinking environment with some basic but comfortable seating, friendly staff and a decent selection of local ales. I liked the vibe in here although can imagine it would feel very different if all those people sat outside suddenly decided to pile into the pub, and would suggest it makes a solid addition to a crawl of this part of the city.
On 8th January 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Davey left this review about The Bank Tavern
Solid traditional pub with decent beer and a friendly atmosphere. I have been in a couple of times in the last 5 years and nothing changes. Well worth a visit.
On 15th March 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Bank Tavern
Slightly hidden away down a side street this is a fine traditional pub well worth a visitDoes good beer and we;; worth a visit.
On 1st April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Bank Tavern
I also liked this pub for the traditional pub it is, but also thought some of the decor fitted well, like the framed bank notes and collection of previous beer clips, whereas some like that mentioned below seemed a bit out of place.
Quite busy and standing room only for our early Friday evening visit and with the use of modern smart phone camera technology I can confirm that the four ales on at the time of the PuG crawl were Chuffin’ Ale and Steam Porter from the Box Steam Brewery, XT2 and Dark Star Pale Ale, and the XT2 was well kept. Am in agreement that this is yet another good Bristol pub that deserves to be on any crawl of the city.
On 2nd December 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Bank Tavern
A decent pub this one and well worth a visit. The pub was busy both inside and out by the time the PG crawl arrived. Nevertheless the service was good and my pint of XT 2, I believe from Oxfordshire was excellent. A good session ale at 4.2%, there was a further four ales to choose from.
On 18th November 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Bank Tavern
I don't think that this pub has changed much since the previous reviewers' visits a year or two ago. I liked this pub for the "real" pub it clearly is, but I don't think the cluster of antlered skulls of sundry animals on one of the walls adds anything worthwhile to the decor, and the music was a bit loud for my taste and easy conversation. But the seating looked comfortable enough although it was standing room only when I and my companions arrived. Pump clips displayed on the walls is a good indicator of an interesting ale policy, and although for some reason I failed to note the ales on I do recall that there were several available and I enjoyed the one I chose.
This is yet another good Bristol pub that deserves to be on any crawl of the city. I would come back to this one at a quieter time if I had the opportunity to do so.
On 18th November 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Bank Tavern
This is a small corner pub tucked away down a narrow lane, inside is a single split-level boarded room with the bar to one side, leaded front windows, wood panelling and traditional leather bench and then tables chair seating with a number of stools at drinking ledges. Decor includes framed details from Bank of England notes, there are posies of flowers in vases on the window shelves, a fireplace at one end has a few old books on a shelf above and unusually a mini pigeon hole arrangement has a selection of Monopoly houses and hotels hanging in front.
The welcome was exceedingly friendly, the barman being chatty and helpful. On the day all the beers were from RCH, Double Header, Firebox, East St Cream, Hewish Mild plus two handpulled Thatcher's ciders. The barman explained that the pub is free from tie and had showcased RCH beers the night before at a meet the brewer event. Apparently a decent mixed range are offered. This was reinforced by a collection of GBG guides behind the bar and a box containing CAMRA "Pints West" magazines.
Food is served and an outdoor jumberalla provides cover for outdoor types and smokers, the area which is clearly used as a nicotine den by local office workers. A very good pub for the beer drinker a short hop from the city centre.
On 15th April 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Bank Tavern
Little to add to Blackthorn's excellent review,on my trip of the six handpumps, two were reversed while Bath SPA and Skinner's Figgy Brew was joined by a Cheddar Valley cider and Two Trees perry.The musak was loud and the atmosphere bohemian yet friendly ,I liked the framed Treasury Notes on the wall and would pop back on any real ale crawl of the city centre
On 15th October 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]