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Detail Pages
Phoenix, Dundee
Dundee
DD1 4DH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about Phoenix
Lovely atmospheric place; pretty traditional feel with some wood and glass partitions, tiling, moulded ceiling plasters, lacquered bar upper with clock (apparently the impressive bar gantry originates from a pub in Cardiff and was installed in the 1980s) and some doily style curtains over the stained glass windows. Bold paintwork (red, gold and green) and some modern intrusions for the students’ benefit. Reviews below mention the heritage factor but it isn’t listed on the CAMRA NI site. GBG’24 listed with four cask, though a fairly dull selection in Deuchars Caledonian IPA, TT Landlord, one I forgot to note and a saviour in Orkney Dark Island, though a pint of this was clearly the first out for a while and slightly warm - NBSS 2.5; I noted that the cask wasn’t really shifting, think I only saw one other sold on a busy and bustling Saturday night. An enjoyable and idiosyncratic stop but I left a bit unconvinced about its status as a solid GBG venue. 7.5
On 26th January 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Phoenix
This is a proper traditional pub. Lots of dark wood, a superb ornate bar servery with etched glass mirrors, dark leather banquet seating divided by stained glass snob screens, interesting beer and brewery decor collection including several neon drink signs interspersed with more eclectic pieces such as stuffed deer and bison heads.
Varied drink offerings including all the usual Scottish keg suspects but also including five functioning real ale pumps which makes the Phoenix one of the better Dundee pubs for choice for the ale drinker. Alongside a couple of regional’s in the form of Deuchars IPA from Caledonian and Timothy Taylor’s Landlord were three from smaller Scottish breweries in the shape of Redcastle Brewery Nobleman, Strathbraan 80 bob and Wooha Brewing Porter. I visited on a couple of occasions during my stay in Dundee and found the beers to be well kept with the 80 bob being a decent beer and the Porter was superb.
After the Speedwell bar this was probably my second favourite Dundee pub for the ale and ambience.
On 2nd September 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Phoenix Bar
This is a nice single room traditional pub within easy striking distance of the city centre and train station. The room has a nice terracotta tile floor and a chunky dark wood servery along the left hand wall. The bar sports some excellent etched glass mirrors in the bar back, topped with a bold decorative frieze and lined with an encouraging amount of CAMRA awards. There is also the obligatory pump clip collection in one corner, near a TV screen which was showing a muted football fixture whilst a decent selection of indie tunes played in the background. A row of tables and chairs runs opposite the bar whilst some marvellous deep, curved banquettes follow the right hand wall, separated by some attractive dark wood and stained glass screens with brass hand rails. There are nice little details pretty much everywhere you look, from the attractive decorations of the lintels to the smart Phoenix-themed stained glass windows which are offset by a selection of modern neon signs dotted around the room. Elsewhere, various items of breweriana, a large stag's head and some old sketches and paintings round out the pub's satisfying decor.
On the bar, five fully operational handpulls offer one of the city's wider ale ranges, with options on this occasion comprising Fulers London Pride, MoR Ticia, Strathbaan Eighty Bob, Taylor Landlord and Caledonian Deuchars IPA. My pint of Eighty Bob was well conditioned, backing up all those CAMRA certificates, and I enjoyed supping it in a calm environment with a modest mid-week crowd.
I liked the feel of this place and thought it was the sort of pub that you could easily while away a few hours in, aided by a reasonable ale selection. It has the feel of a classic local's pub but offered a warm welcome to a new face and I would say this is a solid addition to any crawl around Dundee.
On 20th June 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Phoenix Bar
Doesn't look that much from the street, but the heritage interior of this corner pub is rightly recognised. There is a splendid decorated bar-back, alcoves with low part-glazed screens, a line of coloured mosaic tiles around the walls, iron columns, interesting lanterns and mouldings around the ceiling. Four of the five handpumps were in operation, offering Deuchars IPA, Landlord, Ticia from the local MòR Brewery and a decent Strathbraan Eighty Bob (£3.55). Regular local Camra award winner, and you can see why.
On 18th February 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Phoenix Bar
Definitely one for the pub interior brigade this one, it's an old fashioned single room with a red tiled floor. I thought the old lager neon signs on the windows looked rather tatty but then again I think modern art is rubbish. It was quiet on an early Tuesday evening.
The bar has five hand pumps which had one unused, Deuchar's IPA, Taylor's Landlord, Strathbaan Due South and Mor Mor-Ticia! I went for the Mor-Ticia! (£3.30) which was in good nick. This one's in the 2016 GBG.
On 19th July 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about Phoenix Bar
Don't recall seeing any other Scottish pub with a large Czech Budvar sign outside it! superb ornate bar inside with timber and glass partitions between the seating areas around the edge of the single room bar. Has a number of good continental beers on let alone a good selection of ales. Went for the Deuchars IPA before realising they had Timothy Taylor Dark Mild on - didn't expect that up here in Scotland! Very nice friendly atmosphere in here.
On 16th October 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Phoenix Bar
This pub has a fantastic interior and interesting pub to wander round. Original ceiling and pillars and seating areas. Had the Caledonian Mexican Bandit but should have read the clip first as it was Lime. Ugh - strong lime. Not the fault of the beer but me for choosing it. Some interesting foreign beers and should have gone for one of them.
On 17th August 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]