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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
The Golden Guinea, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 6SX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Golden Guinea
Beardy pub with exterior patios front & rear, nice beers sort of place to waste an hour or two, still traditional enough & worth a visit
On 11th February 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Golden Guinea
Good Beer Guide 2023 pub, although I did try an arbor shangri la on keg. Their cans are so pretty, I think it will be my next order.
Smart interior, with distinctive gold embossed wall paper. King of the pub furniture with some lovely chesterfield armchairs. Why I didnt insist on these when Mrs M refreshed the lounge, I will never know.
Downstairs hosts a large performance room and looks like they have regular comedy nights.
Would be happy to call this my local.
On 28th March 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Golden Guinea
Raised above street level with a main room with long bar,a downstairs lounge not visited.The five pumps were dispensing Guinea Best, Tiny Rebel Cwtch,and Tapstone Samona and Astridge Big Apple Cider leaving one handle vacant. The background Reggae sound track but in general this pub didn't really grab me.
On 25th September 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Golden Guinea
In the now backstreets of Bristol but perhaps that's to its advantage. This is a venerable old pub that seems to have a new lease of life without too much damage done inside. Enter up some steps to find a long and narrow interior with the bar running most of the length of the room. An old varnished wood floor, gold and green flock wallpaper, pew seating wood panelling (which has been painted racing green, one of the few colours you can ever paint the panelling without utterly ruining it!). Some incongruous pop art prints adorned the walls whilst a ‘just the right level’ modern jazz funk soundtrack played. Five pumps with four ales and a cider; 2x Bath (Gem and Lansdown - after a false start and a cloudy half, I got a good Lansdown), Clouded Minds (fair) and New Bristol Brewery Marshmallow Stout (good) alongside a cider. Friendly young barman who was happy to chat. A good local atmosphere within. I enjoyed it here and would make a point of doing it again, even though the beer quality wasn’t quite stellar. 7.5
On 15th December 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Golden Guinea
A pleasant and traditional pub just around the corner from Bathurst Basin, it is surprisingly spacious inside being split over two levels, as well as a small patio area at the front, and, from memory, a further garden at the rear, although the lower level leading out to this was in darkness on our Monday evening visit.
Internally it’s fairly traditional with dark wood strip on the floor, green flock wallpaper on the upper part of the walls and a couple of shades of green paintwork elsewhere. A number of gilded mirrors were on the walls as well as some colourful artwork which was for sale. A small black fire-place was at the front of the pub and opposite this a couple of upright leather arm chairs. Elsewhere was a selection of chunky pine furniture.
Beers on tap were Summerleaze Golden Ale, Prescott Hill Climb and Arbor O2 Bomb. A fourth pump appeared to have run out and there were also a few more unusual options on keg. Ciders meanwhile were Bounders, Addlestones and Stowford Press. A poster outside also advertised that they were the home of Blackbeard cider, although I didn’t spot this on the bar.
On 27th September 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Golden Guinea
The Golden Guinea is a nice looking pub.
Once inside there is a single oblong shaped room which runs to the rear,the floor is bare boarded,the seating pew type to the front.
There were two real ales that i noted,i had a drink of Tapstone Wild Wood,which was a decent drink,the other beer noted was Prescott Winter Season Best.
The background music was crap in my opinion.
A decent enough pub to have a few drinks in.
Pub visited 23/1/2016
On 28th February 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Golden Guinea
This pub doesn't seem to have altered much since the previous reviewer's visit. The wooden benches, brandy bottle candles, and bizarre arty prints are all still there, and although I didn't spot any adverts for live music in the pub, live bands are advertised outside. The ale selection is still good, with Milk Street Brewery Devil's Backbone Porter, Cottage Brewing Ghost Train, and Ashley Down Brewery Pale Ale (£3.80 a pint) all available. A further handpump was dispensing Addlestone Cider, and I also spotted a small barrel-like container on the counter entitled "Shepton Cider Hog". I didn't see any food advertised, but we were in fairly early Saturday lunchtime so perhaps this side of things wasn't up and running by that time. There are pumps clips displayed on one of the beams, which is always a good sign.
This remains a great little backstreet pub, and although it's not entirely traditional inside (arty prints, gilded mirrors), it's traditional enough for me and I reckon to be worth seeking out.
On 19th 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 Golden Guinea
A friendly and slightly quirky backstreet pub still proclaiming itself to be Bristol's Best of the type. Entered up a series of steps where there is outdoor seating to the frontage, the long wooden floored room has the small bar to the right. Decor includes several arty prints, there are a pile of board games to borrow and seating is mainly at wooden benches. Tables all had candles burning in old brandy bottles. Downstairs is the "lounge" or function room but this was in semi darkness and had furniture piled up although I suppose it can be set up as needed according to the proposed use. Advertised events include bands, DJs and "Live Graffiti" whatever that entails. There is a beer garden to the rear.
An unusual beer choice, no mainstream stuff, the choice being Devilfish Stingray, Ashley Down Primrose and St Georges Brewery "Keep Calm and Carry On". Cider features strongly too with offerings from Addlestones and Ashridge plus the pub's Blackbeard (legend has it that the pirate Blackbeard drank here). I was offered the choice of a jug or "sleever" seemingly the local term for a straight glass.
Food is good value with many ingredients locally sourced, curries £5.30 including a veggie option, chilli and tortillas £6, baguettes £3.75, hot dogs/burgers £2.50/£3.50.
I enjoyed my brief stay here, a calm relaxed and friendly spot, certainly when there is no "Live Graffiti" in progress!
On 6th June 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Golden Guinea
A pleasant enough smallish pub hidden away up the hill by the Bristol General Hospital. I’m not sure in what category they claim to be Bristol’s best back street boozer as I visited others with better ale choice (St Austell Tribute and Sharps Doombar), more character and certainly better decors, (although I am sure there will be those that like dark brown interiors with heavy flock wallpaper) during my visit to Bristol.
Anyway the service was efficient enough and my pint of Tribute was perfectly fine. And as mentioned below it does have different Lagers from the run of the mill stuff and I remember seeing Grolsch Blond Grolsch Weizen.
The pub itself is a single room reached up some and steps from floor level with seating around the bar area. There are a couple of televisions for watching the sport and then downstairs there is a games room with a pool table. To the rear there is a small secluded garden area with different levels accessible from the main bar and the games room.
On 5th September 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pete Yeates left this review about The Golden Guinea
Right next to Bristol General Hospital, the Guinea is one of those Bristol pubs that are easy to miss if you don't know it's there. Re-opened Monday 2nd November after three weeks of refurbishment. New decor is a bit dark, but it's a 100% improvement on the state the place was in before.
I had a couple of pints of St. Austell Tribute @ £2.90. Other various lagers here as well, including Wheat beers and a Czech lager on draught. No food at the moment, but that will be addressed in the near future.
On their promo cards is says "Bristol's Best Backstreet Boozer"
On 3rd November 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 99 recommendations about 92 pubs]