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Roscoe Head, Liverpool
Liverpool
L1 2SX
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Roscoe Head
This is another traditional pub on CAMRA's Regional Inventory of pubs with historic interiors. I'm afraid the "Magnificent Seven" is now reduced to the "Famous Five", but this is one of the five ever present pubs in the GBG. It's well described below, and I'm happy to report that when I was in there a little over a week ago it was unchanged, and remains the very special boozer it always has been.
There were four ales on - Hawkshead 5 Hop, George Wright Brewing Co Mild, Tetley, and Timothy Taylor Landlord. The young lady behind the bar was kind enough to make Mrs R a cup of tea, and I'm told it was of a high standard. There was sign inside that said that as they weren't a free house there would be no free tasters as the pubco wouldn't allow it. A dig at the pubco is probably justified. This pub is under threat, and in my experience when a pub is threatened there's usually a pubco (invariably in league with a rapacious developer or supermarket chain) behind it.
This is a lovely pub. I'd be delighted to have this one as my local.
On 19th September 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Roscoe Head
This is another famous Liverpool pub. It is a multi-roomed pub with no TVs or recorded music. The bar has six hand pumps which on my visit had Tetley's Bitter, Taylor's Landlord, Lytham Ice King, Hambleton Nightmare, Wentworth Flip Flop and Porter Street Brewery Oval 6. I thought compared to the Dispensary down the road that this was a pretty dull selection. I went for the Lytham Ice King (£3.30) which was in excellent condition but uninspiring.
I think this business of being in every GBG is a poisoned chalice for the local CAMRA branch where they are damned for leaving it in and damned if they remove it. All I can say about this one is that it's a nice unspoilt pub with very well kept beers but I prefer the Dispensary.
On 23rd July 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Roscoe Head
A multi-roomed heritage gem (1930’s) that also has been in every Good Beer Guide. Well-described below so I’ll keep it basic. Located on a rather unassuming dark side street with little else of note on it. Enter through a small porch to the main servery. There’s a small standing bar through a door to the left, a small banquette snug room with old pushbells to the right and a slightly larger room further on. A fair selection of ales on, I tried Weetwood Cheshire Cat (ok), Rebel Brewery Bal Maiden (ok, though sweetcorn flavoured - blame the brewer?). Other beers were more mainstream - GK Fireside, Tetley Bitter and TT Landlord. Tasting trays (thirds) on offer, which is something I heartily approve of. Westons Perry also available. Maldenman will be happy to know that the Scouse Bet Lynch was serving me, proper career barmaid. An essential stop-off to sample the interior, though coming straight after the A1 ales in the Dispensary I felt a bit underwhelmed in terms of beer quality, neither I had were really GBG standard.
On 15th January 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Roscoe Head
You don't often come across pubs like this anymore, a real old style multi-roomed little place that has not been mucked about with by corporate designers. The main bar is found immediately on entering, counter to the left, in front of this under the front window is a small snug with a window drinking ledge and access to the end of the bar. Another, slightly larger and more comfortable snug with banquettes along one side and a centre fireplace. An opening leads through to a rear room, carpeted and with further banquette and chair/stool seating and a preserved moulded ceiling.. The seat backs in here still have the old bell pushes in place. There is another fireplace in here with a large collection of trophies over and spilling onto an adjacent shelf. Not seeing a dartboard I investigated further to find they are for cribbage, I've not seen many pub games of "crib" for years.
The main bar area has quarry tiles, a couple of framed brewery posters and a chalkboard, helpfully listing the ales which are split between this room and the small front snug. This occasion had Spitting Feathers Thirstquencher, Cheshire Brewhouse Cheshire Gap, Red Willow Reckless, Tetley Bitter, Landlord and Jennings Lakeland Bitter. The Cheshire Gap was a nice pint, in good shape too, served by a character of a barmaid who reminded me of a young Bet Lynch. Food is served, basic cheap stuff, sandwiches £3.25-£4.25, burgers from £3.25 or from the specials board, two for £7 such as sausage, chips and peas or cottage pie.
As said previously, this pub is one of the CAMRA "magnificent seven", having appeared in every edition of the GBG since its inaugural issue in 1974. It is an excellent pub indeed, full of character, nostalgia and of course, well kept great beer. A must if in this part of town.
On 28th October 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
david hammill left this review about The Roscoe Head
cracking little pub just about the best in liverpool always call in when in liverpool beer spot on and good staff
On 4th March 2013
- rating: 10
[User has posted 96 recommendations about 86 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Roscoe Head
This is a really nice traditional pub that retains an excellent multiple room layout. The entrance leads you into the main bar, which has a nice tiled floor and the servery on the left. From this space, various other rooms can be accessed including a very small snug at the front of the pub that is hidden behind a nice screening wall. This area also gives access to the bar and the majority of the hand pumps are this side, although a blackboard in the main bar details the ales that are hidden from view. To the right of the entrance there is another nice snug with wooden flooring, bench seating and a smart, compact fireplace. The final room is to the rear and is carpeted with comfortable looking banquettes, a few nice mirrors and another small fireplace.
There were six beers available on our visit – Milk Street Funky Monkey, Tetley’s Cask, Morland Old Golden Hen, Wadworth Boundary, Jennings Bitter and Bristol Beer Factory Seven. A banner outside explains that the pub is one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ – pubs which have appeared in every edition of the Good Beer Guide since it was first published in 1974 – so it seemed only appropriate that I tried a pint of the BBF Seven, which was decent enough. I was surprised to learn that the pub puts on an annual beer festival, given the lack of space, but it appears that they close the road outside and make it into a street party of sorts. A basic menu is available with sandwiches and burgers around the £3-4 mark and mains under £6.
This is a fine example of a traditional pub with none of the modern day trappings that distract from the pleasure of enjoying a good pint in friendly company – a pub purist’s dream and well worth inclusion on any serious crawl around Liverpool.
On 9th March 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Roscoe Head
Four nines in a row, a good description from BF underneath. So all as I can add is very good service when busy, also the tiolets were spotless. Will defo call again.
On 4th March 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Roscoe Head
A small sidestreet pub with a wonderful interior,the snug to the immediate left of the front door with it's own glazed panelled entrance is a fine example of it's type.The other rooms which lead away from the small bar are just as interesting and authentic.There has been some updating to the upholstery,so the overall affect is smart rather than spit and sawdust.Brass call buttons in evidence around some of the bench backs,and the pub was full of conversation .I counted 5 handpulls with the selection noted on a board,my Bristol Beer Factory no 7 wasnt much to write home about but my stay was far too brief to try any others.
Having featured in every edition of The Good Beer Guide ,this is a true institution with an interior that any visitor to the city should pay a visit to.
On 4th March 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Roscoe Head
This 2011 Good Beer Guide pub is one of my favourites in Liverpool as it is so friendly. It may be small but conversation flows easily whether in the small room or standing round the bar area. Good quality beer served and we enjoyed Beartown Bear Ass while chatting with a group who we found were also visitors.
On 6th March 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Roscoe Head
A Liverpool institution, a sympathetic renovation a few years back left the classic 1930s interior intact, it made a few improvements and a few changes it could probably do without. Beer on offer is usually Jennings, Tetley Bitter and dark Mild, Burton Ale plus two guests. All I tried in excellent form as usual, you can see why this pub has been in every Good Beer Guide from the first in 1973.
On 8th November 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]