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City Arms, Wells
Wells
BA5 2AG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about City Arms
Well described by PSM, below, this old town pub is entered through the courtyard which was full of drinkers and smokers. Once inside though there was plenty of space to sit and enjoy the table service. The staff were pleasant and helpful, the other inside drinkers mainly civilised. Three ales on draft were Potholer, Tribute and Glastonbury’s Hedge Monkey, all in excellent condition. This was a really enjoyable visit and one I’m keen to repeat, hopefully to try the food next time.
On 9th May 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3285 recommendations about 3250 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about City Arms
This is a pleasant city centre pub at the far end of the High Street, with a smart interior split across two wings and a convivial drinker’s atmosphere in contrast to many of the city’s more food-led establishments. You enter via a very nice little front courtyard which sits between the pub’s two halves and offers some decent garden furniture amongst plenty of greenery. The entrance is to the rear right of the courtyard and brings you into a fairly plush seating area with tables of various sizes down both sides of the room served by high stools and standard chairs. Walls are half panelled with plain uppers and as you move towards the rear, you eventually reach the bar area, with a short servery along the rear wall sporting the same tongue and groove panelling on its counter front as well as a modern bar back, part of which is exposed brickwork. To the left of the bar is a small lounge area with bare brick on the lower half of the wall and more of the same tongue and groove panels above. Sofa and tub chair seating has been used to fill this space and there was a TV screen on one wall which was switched off in favour of pop tunes played in the background. A connecting passageway from here leads past the toilets and on into the bare boarded left-hand wing of the pub – a large seating area which runs back towards the street and offers a mix of basic seating to the front and comfier sofas to the rear. There were quite a few customers in when I visited a couple of hours before closing on a mid-week evening, including one or two children, which I was a little surprised at. A friendly barmaid took my contact details at the bar and then came over to take my order once I’d chosen a seat.
They had managed to get four ales on the bar, giving me an interesting choice between Cheddar Ales Potholer, Wild Beer Bibble, St Austell Tribute and Glastonbury Love Monkey. Having enjoyed a good pint from Cheddar Ales earlier in the day, I decided to try the Potholer, which was in good condition but not half as tasty as the Crown & Glory I’d enjoyed elsewhere.
I really liked the feel of this place, which struck me as a far better bet for the ale drinker than many of the city’s more prominent pubs. There was a good range of mostly local ales on the bar, friendly service, comfortable seating and a good wet-led atmosphere which all combined to make this a very pleasant stop-off.
On 24th November 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Michael Wright left this review about City Arms
Popped in at lunchtime whilst on quick visit to Wells on coach trip, did the cathedral tourist bit, and this looked the most interesting pub I spotted
6 real ales on, and 4 ciders for my visit, as Blackthorn said, lots of different partitioned areas, some seem more food / dining than drinking
We plonked down in main bar area, I could not tell you what I bitter I had, never noted it down, but it was a nice pint
The locals, and I presume landlady were friendly and chatty, did not have food there, but the food I did see looked good
Never likely to return due to distance, but if in Wells, certainly one to visit
On 18th May 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 526 recommendations about 382 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about City Arms
Large, U shaped pub conveniently located just off the High Street. The courtyard at the front seems a bit claustrophobic, I think they may have done some work there a few years ago which is a shame as the building has lost some of it's character. Once you're inside it's fine though, with several distinct areas.
There was a very good choice of ales on tap, about six or seven in total, inc. Doom Bar, Sharp's Red Ale, Butcombe, Wickwar IKB and Cheddar's Gorge Best. Also a good line-up of ciders, namely Blackthorn, Ashton Press, Suffolk Dry and Addlestones.
Looks to be a decent food offering, although we didn't try it on this occasion.
On 1st November 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Su Lane left this review about City Arms
I like a pub with lots of different places to sit, choice of sofas and chairs, pretty courtyard. Food was extremely nice (attention to detail - my salad came with hot roasted pine nuts, instead of straight out of a packet). Great menu.
On 2nd January 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]