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The Portcullis, Stirling
Stirling
FK8 1EG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about The Portcullis
Upmarket hotel bar (and former grammar school) outside the cemetery and castle grounds, accessed through a courtyard. Inside has exposed stone walls, red and white trim - nice enough. The entire floorspace was set for dining; imbibers had half a dozen stools at the bar, where we took the final two stools alongside some Nordic tourists. GBG’24 listed, there were three pumps withy two Orkney brews available. My Orca Stout was a little over-vented, but par (NBSS 3). Not one I’d see the need to do again unless I was planning on eating.
On 29th January 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Portcullis
Good Beer Guide 2020. Practically in the castle grounds - so nice to have a good experience when it could have been a tourist rip off place.
Food, Service - cheap and good.
Beer - a Cairngorms Trade Winds was the best pint I had across three cities and many pubs
On 4th October 2019
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Portcullis
This smart pub and hotel next to Stirling Castle, used to be the local Grammar School and it’s great that this historic building can still be enjoyed by the public in its current use today. You enter via a rather nice courtyard full of nice plants and sturdy garden furniture, which I imagine makes it a nice place to spend time in warmer months. The pub part of the building comprises a nice ground floor room with plush carpets and bare stone walls which give it an authentic and homely feel. Comfy banquette seating runs around the sides of the room whilst some slightly off-putting looking red leather chairs fill the space in the centre, where a large pillar helps break up the sightlines a little. A grand fireplace stands at one end of the room with a large mantle and pub mirror above. The servery is at the other end of the room and has a traditional dark wood counter and attractive bar back which includes another pub mirror and a built-in clock. A couple of stained glass panes add a splash of colour to the room and there are high shelves stuffed with whisky boxes, bottles, ceramics, drums and other such items, running all around the room. Rock music played quietly in the background throughout my visit and there was a slow but steady stream of punters, mostly tourists, coming and going, although I’d imagine it’s a very different picture during the peak season.
The bar had two ales available on this occasion – Skye Red and Cairngorm Black Gold. I ordered a pint of the latter, which got a murmur of approval from a local propping up the end of the bar. Quite rightly so, as this was a fantastic drop of beer and one of the more memorable pints from my week in Scotland.
I’m not really a fan of this sort of hotel bar, especially not those in such close proximity to major tourist destinations, but I have to say, this place was really enjoyable and I would’ve been more than happy to settle down here for a few more pints of that luscious Black Gold, had time allowed. Definitely worth a quick snoop if you’re in town outside of the main tourist season.
On 20th March 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Portcullis
For a tourist pub this was pretty good, service was friendly and efficient and it was pretty good value, too. There was just one real ale on, the second hand pump being vacant. Cairngorm Black Gold was in good condition, and not overpriced for the area at £3.30 a pint. We also ate, and although it was pretty basic fare (baked potatoes with cheese and beans) there was plenty of it.
On 24th March 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3746 recommendations about 3483 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Portcullis
Comfortable hotel at the top of the hill by the castle; there is one large lounge bar which usually seems to be very busy with dining tourists. If only drinking, you will probably find a corner to sample the changing guest ales. There is also an outdoor area if the weather is kind. Good Beer Guide listed at time of visit.
On 2nd July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Portcullis
Built in 1787 initially as a grammar school, the Portcullis stands at the top of the hill on the way to the castle from the City centre. It was originally called the Castle Hotel (an old photo of it under this name can be found at the No 2 Baker Street pub back in town) and was also at one point used as a military store.
The building is quite sturdy with solid stone walls befitting its position near the town’s stringhold. Internally the building has been tastefully modernized at some point although it is beginning to look a bit worn around the edges with fading upholstery on the banquette seating being quite evident. Although it is essentially a Hotel bar, it does retain a good degree of character and what appeared to be a constant stream of tourists ensured that the place had a reasonable amount of bustle to it. To the rear is a more sedate section labeled the Monarch Lounge with sofas and a piano and outside is a pleasant courtyard garden.
Just the 1 ale was available was available on my visit, an excellent Orkney Red MacGregor whilst the 2nd pump had a reversed Cairngorm Trade Winds clip. The pricing was quite reasonable compared to some of the oprices in Glasgow & Edinburgh.
Although it is clearly a touristy destination being a mere spear chuck from the castle, I found this to be one off the more enticing pubs in the city and if you are visiting the castle (as most visitors inevitably do) you will more than likely be unable to resist the temptation of a quick pint.
On 11th April 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]