Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with sheffield hatter
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
O'Neill's, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 1RU
Pub Type
Castle (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about O'Neill's
Recently opened on the site of the short lived Hy-Brasil Music Club, this is now a fairly standard chain pub with little, if any, redeeming features. It seems a little odd that O’Neill’s only recent departed their premises on the other side of Baldwin Street, but have now opened here. Perhaps they had issues with the renewal of the lease over the road.
Internally it retains the opened up layout of it’s predecessor, with a central bar counter. Flooring was predominantly wood, a mixture of sanded boards and parquet, with some Victorian style mosaic tiling in places. Paintwork was almost entirely a dark grey, with some relief from the monotony provided by small sections of exposed brickwork and one wall clad with plain white butcher’s tiles that had diagrams on explaining the brewing process. Padded benches were fitted perpendicular to the windows proving booth like seating, with regular tables and chairs elsewhere. Multiple large TV screens were dotted around showing sports channels, and although the volume was off the background music was rather too loud for easy conversation. Service at the bar was pretty abysmal with staff having no clue as to who’s turn it was next, and I was passed over at least twice before eventually being noticed.
Despite a sign outside advising that they were “purveyors of craft ales” there were no real ales on tap that I could see, and very little in the way of keg. There was an IPA of some sort that I didn’t recognise, but that appeared to be about it. Ciders fared no better with just Magners and Strongbow Dark Fruit, although it appears that they do also stock Thatcher’s Gold, but this had run out.
On 4th November 2019
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Hy-Brasil Music Club
Recently re-opened under a new name, the name may not sound that enticing if you’re just after a quiet pint and don’t want any loud music, but when we visited on an early evening we found it had a chilled out and relaxed vibe with no sign of any music at all.
Inside it’s been opened out slightly and is now one large, open plan room with a small stage area off to one side. Flooring was predominantly parquet wood whilst the ceiling was all black and had recessed green lighting in some places. Not quite as oppressive as it sounds perhaps, and elsewhere they’ve gone for a fairly rustic look with some rough wooden boards screwed to the walls in places and corrugated iron cladding on the bar counter which was a new one on me. Elsewhere the walls were painted in either a blue/grey paint or clad with butcher’s tiles, and the supporting pillars were in aqua blue. There was some urban artwork about in a nod to Bristol’s street art scene, and of course, exposed filament light bulbs which I think must be a legal requirement in pubs these days going on the amount that I see. Various brightly coloured leather sofas and chairs were arranged around the perimeter.
Beer choice initially looked promising, but closer inspection revealed that the Hogs Back TEA was apparently “coming soon” and the Ubu Purity went off whilst we were there, leaving just Doom Bar and another pump that was unlabelled. Ciders fared better with Mortimer’s Orchard, Orchard Pig Reveller and Caple Road, whilst the Orchard Pig Explorer was also coming soon.
On 19th May 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Start The Bus
Converted a few years ago from an outpost of the dreadful Edward’s chain, this is one of M&B’s unbranded *urban* pubs that started springing up in austerity-proof parts of the country a few years back. The large, dim and cavernous interior is decorated with a number of styles from a fully-tiled wall to a ceiling plastered in lots of old book pages. The sign outside says ‘local cask ales’ but only two of the four (Butcombe, yawn) actually were whilst Robinsons Hopitmus Prime and St Austell Proper Job were the others. My Hopitmus was pretty uninspiring and it weighed in at a whopping £1.90 for a half. Two Westons ciders plus an array of keg with some good choices were also available. I was served by a very friendly barmaid who had a decent idea of what she was doing (advising Americans about the beer types available, though she struggled a bit to explain the difference between Westons and the Aspalls). I also noticed that the drinks menu lists real ale under 'draft beer' rather than 'craft beer'. Hmmm, some might argue with that definition! Anyway, arts and music are pushed here (shades of the Oakford Social, another similar M&B outlet in Reading) with a small stage area set up and plenty of literature on a specially dedicated dresser by the Marsh St entrance promoting the local arts scene. Customers on a Monday afternoon were mainly nerds staring into their glowing iPads (or HTC, in my case) through to students and posers. Ambient piped muzak iced the vibe of this hipster cake. An interesting place but the high prices and middling beer quality means I’ll walk by next time I’m afraid. It does, however, serve a niche quite well so for that I’ll score it fairly.
On 24th May 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Start The Bus
Despite it’s odd name, this seems to be a chilled out and relaxed bar, certainly a great improvement from when it was Edwards. The outside has all been painted in a dark green colour and there are various murals on the walls. Inside there are various bold colours, with many of the walls being a lighter shade of green interspersed with red pillars. The drawings continue inside as well with all sorts of odd artwork painted on the walls.
Although all open plan, it’s divided in to several different areas. The lowest level is where the most colourful artwork is, and this is filled with lots of leather sofa’s and low tables. The main bar area has pine flooring and leather bench seating along one wall and a good selection of tables and chairs. Finally there was a curtained off area at one end that was being used by a band on this occasion who were apparently called Wu Lyf. To me he sounded as though he was in agony, but I guess some people may have enjoyed it. This spoilt the ambience slightly, as the music was quite loud in the rest of the pub. Music seems to feature prominently, with flyers on the tables detailing the bands coming up over the next few months, three or four most weeks.
There was a basic menu with a good selection of burgers and several sharing platters. The barman seemed more interested in chatting to his mate than bothering to serve anyone, but the barmaid was efficient and helpful.
Beers on tap were Deuchars IPA, Black Sheep and Adnams Broadside. Good selection of ciders with Weston’s Traditional Scrumpy, Aspall’s Suffolk, Addlestones, Strongbow and Gaymer’s Pear.
On 22nd March 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]