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The Gryphon, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 5AP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Gryphon
An interesting flat iron shaped building ,the apex entrance leads to an open plan ale house section with a semi circular bar directly ahead,sporting 6 handpumps,but sadly with just one operational on my visit.Behind the bar are two seating wings with trad furniture but nothing of much interest.
The pub used to be known for it's heavy metal vibe ,but much of that has gone together with the previous selection of dark and strong ales.The barman said dark beers were available in cans but I opted for the single pale ale Fierce & Noble How Moo Can You Go,from a local microbrewer,NBSS 3.
It retains a noisy heavy metal sound track,but little else in the way of character or characters.One to pass by IMHO.
On 30th September 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Gryphon
Such a niche place - can't be many Good Beer Guide Heavy Metal pubs but you can add to that that they only sell Dark, Strong Real Ales. Talk about a target audience.
Thrash metal, very loud. Sort of place you will either love or hate.
On 6th January 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Gryphon
Located at the top of the famous Christmas Steps, this is an unusual wedge-shaped pub which has struck out to attract fans of heavy metal and good beer. Steps lead you up into the simple main bar area which has exposed floorboards and an attractive curved dark wood bar counter to the rear. The bar has a modern, fairy light lined bar back sporting numerous keg taps and an Iron Maiden ‘Eddy’ head. Tankards have been evocatively strung along a line from above, with a random trainer appearing midway through the collection – who drinks out of that I wonder?! High tables and stools can be found along the right hand side of the room under a series of large, plain mirrors, with smaller tables and low stools to the left. Pump clips line the upper section of the walls and fill almost all of the ceiling, punctuated only by a few, very metal-looking guitars along the walls. Moving to the left behind the bar, you find a small, raised seating area with enough space for two tables and a staircase leading down to the toilets. Meanwhile, to the right of the bar, there is another raised space with a single table and some nice padded benches. Some blokes round here were playing a very intense game of Jenga, so I sloped off quietly lest I should disturb their concentration. As you might expect, a thrash metal soundtrack was playing, albeit at a pretty reasonable volume for a Saturday night, and overall I found the place had a pretty cool vibe that was very tolerant of someone who was clearly only there for the beer.
Talking of which, six handpulls line up across the bar, but four of these were sadly out of action, leaving a choice of Stealth Solitude and Red Cat Peach Mosaic, plus a pretty wide keg selection. The Solitude turned out to be a quite pleasant drop and I enjoyed a bit of people watching from my position propped against the bar.
I thought this would be a bit too niche to fully enjoy, but found the staff and locals to be a friendly bunch and ended up enjoying myself here and staying for longer than I’d intended. The pub has found itself in recent editions of the Good Beer Guide and whilst your enjoyment of the place might be proportionate to your tolerance for heavy metal music, I’d still encourage people to give this quirky place a chance.
On 8th January 2019
- rating: 7
[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 Gryphon
A good solid rock pub playing some awesome music. We called in here Saturday night around 10pm and the place was very busy as to be expected. Service at the bar was quick and there was a choice of four ales on handpump, so I went for the Urban Huntsman which had plenty of flavour. We found the snug around the right hand side of the bar, which was a decent place to settle, whilst we watched a band lugging in some sound equipment up the stairs as the place was getting even busier.
On 12th October 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Gryphon
There's a sign outside proclaiming that this pub's still open despite a recent fire gutting the top floor of the adjoining building. You obviously can't keep a good gryphon down. This is a heavy metal themed pub, with some loud music being played when we dropped in on Saturday afternoon. As you would expect, there's music memorabilia around the place, and of course live music sessions are held regularly. It's gloomily menacing in a characterful sort of way.
There were several ales on, including the SW London favourite of Sambrook's Powerhouse Porter. I didn't see any sign of food. I didn't think that this pub had quite the cosy and comfortable feel of some of the other pubs we visited, and of course it doesn't set out to be that sort of pub. This is another one that's definitely worth a punt.
On 10th November 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Gryphon
The unusual wedge shape of this pub gives it a lot of character. You are faced by thre bar as you enter with its various pumps of real ale. Rock music playing, the beer is good and its all round nice pub to try.
On 1st April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Gryphon
A tight wedge-shaped pub that has recently been restyled as a rock/metal and ale bar from a former incarnation as a gay pub. The interior is, as expected, a comedy homage to the alternative set with numerous Gothy nik-naks and a large plaster cast skull behind the bar. The front bar is triangular in shape with two snug-style rooms to the rear. Six ale pumps with four ales on during my visit, with a decent range of brews. The quality was pretty good and prices reasonable, especially so if you’re a card-carrying CAMRA member as discounts are offered. Live music is pushed here, with a list of upcoming performers prominently displayed. The patrons were perfectly accommodating towards a bunch of us who clearly were at odds with the usual dress code so don’t let that put you off. Not a bad little place at all.
On 27th December 2012
- 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 Gryphon
Previous reviews refer to this pub when it was The Griffin. It’s now under new ownership and is called The Gryphon. The front bar is inevitably an unusual triangle shape, going from the point at the door as you go in to the bar on the opposite side facing you. It’s a pleasant place in a contemporary sort of way with reclaimed floorboards and some unusual stencils on the walls. There are also a couple of very good photo’s of bands taken by the landlord.
The theme of the pub is Metal (as in Music) and Beer and whilst the metal wasn’t much in evidence on our visit apart from some fairly low level background music, I understand it’s a bit louder on a weekend! There are also a number of gigs in the pipeline in a separate room upstairs. Behind the bar are two smaller snugs, both quite attractive areas. The landlord was friendly and informative and he discussed at some length his plans for the pub. They’re not tied to a PubCo, and as a result the beer selection should be more interesting, and hopefully priced more competitively than many of the more restricted pubs around.
The one regular beer is Bath’s Barnstormer. Guests on this occasion were George’s Worcester Sauce and Skinner’s Splendid Tackle. There is normally a third guest on, but this had run out on this occasion. Ciders were Thatcher’s Gold and Stowford Press.
Overall I would say this is now well worth a visit being one of the better pubs around the central area. If you enjoy your metal, so much the better.
On 16th February 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dean kibbey left this review about The Gryphon
This pub has recently change hands and is now opening a restaurant on the 1st floor serving all the favourite pub grub and Sunday roast. Warm and friendly place for everyone to visit.
NEW WEB SITE: WWW.THEGRIFFINPUB.COM
On 9th August 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
penny t left this review about The Gryphon
Friendly easy going barstaff. Lovely atmosphere. Warm and welcoming. Would recommend the Griffin to anyone.
On 11th July 2008
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]