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Kings Head, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 6DE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about Kings Head
Now under new ownership and has had a spruce-up with a hideous green external paint job, which extends inside which didn’t really suit the place on a dark evening; ditto the removal of the bar area carpet which I recall from previous. The tramcar fittings remain unmolested are just as splendid as ever. Not many punters in and it showed at the bar, where my pint of Fyne Jarl was tepid due to lack of throughput (NBSS 2) served-up by a guy doing a passable impression of Neil from The Young Ones. Left a bit disappointed – if it’s this quiet on a Saturday night (the nearby Seven Stars and Shakespeare were both busy) I wonder if it will last. Certainly not GBG standard based on this, anyway. 7.5
November 2014
A couple of visits in the intervening period. Nothing much changes here bar the guest ale which is usually in pretty good shape, if often unadventurous by the standards over the road. It’s a must-see on a crawl round central Bristol and be thankful the Luftwaffe missed it. Rated 8
October 2013
A wonderful heritage pub (listed in the CAMRA National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors) dating from the mid 1600’s, a few minutes walk from Temple Meads with a lovely unspoilt interior; known as the tramcar due to the turn-of-the-century snug that dominates much of the pub which is laid out like a first class tram car carriage, with long cushioned benches. The interior is all polished dark wood and glass, with old pictures of Bristol on the walls. The sections of the bar back in the front area have gilded panels advertising 'Claret', 'Hollands', 'Cigars', 'Mineral Waters', 'Cigars' and 'Port & Sherry'. In the Tramcar you get 'French Brandy', 'Irish & Scotch Whiskey', 'Jamaica Rum', 'London Gin' and 'Cordials'. Beer choice is decent if often unspectacular (Enterprise list I think) Wadworths 6X, Sharps Doombar and Cornish Coaster often feature, though Butcombe Gold and Betty Stoggs have been spotted. A real cider too - Thatchers. Quality is good but prices are steep though compared to nearby outlets (blame Enterprise again). The pub is kept to a high standard and is well worth a visit for the interior. It’s a shame that Enterprise are bleeding the place dry as the Kings simply cannot compete with the 7 Stars and Cornubia at present. Hopefully when Enterprise go belly-up, the lease for this place can be acquired by a sympathetic local brewery... For now, it's worth a visit for a pint or two to admire the interior. Rated 8
On 5th December 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Kings Head
Recently reopened having been closed since the first lockdown, this is now owned by local micro Good Chemistry Brewing, and is, I believe, the only pub in Bristol on Camra’s register of historic pub interiors.
It’s really quite tiny internally, with much of the front half of the pub being taken up by the bar counter with little more than a corridor to the left and a couple of seats in the window. At the rear is an area known as The Tramcar, and this too is quite diminutive inside with no more than four or five small tables. Consequently it soon fills up, and on our first visit soon after reopening it was strictly standing room only, although on a subsequent visit between Christmas and New Year it was somewhat less hectic. Décor wise it’s very traditional as would be expected, with dark wooden boards on the floor, dark wood panelling on the lower part of the walls, and what may well be William Morris wallpaper up above. The ceiling was painted dark green interspersed with a few black beams. Behind the bar are a number of intricately carved wooden arches, each headed a with a brass plaque to denote the contents on the shelves below such as Claret, Port & Sherry, French Brandy, etc. The tramcar itself is a cosy spot, with wood partitioning on one side to separate it from the corridor, and bench seating around the permitter with a few small stools as well. Perhaps at one time the bar counter extended the entire length of the pub, as there are further carved archways here headed London Gin, Cordials and Jamacia Rum. There were also some push buttons for service here, although I suspect these are no longer functional, especially since the barman placed a sign on the small section of counter at the end of the tramcar directing us to use the main front part of the bar for service.
Beers on tap were their own Bob’s Best and Glowing Embers along with Atom’s Bernoulli’s Principle. A fourth pump appeared to have run out. The solitary cider meanwhile was Pulpt Flare. It’s great to see this place open again, and combined with the excellent Cornubia around the corner, makes an excellent two stop hop when in this part of town.
On 28th December 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1949 recommendations about 1862 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Kings Head
An excellent historic and atmospheric alehouse with a long narrow bar, featuring an amusing partitioned section known as 'The Tramcar'. A very friendly welcome too! Regular ales appear to be HPA, Castle Rock, London Pride and Harvey's Best with a changing guest which on this occasion was Hog's Back TEA. The HPA was in excellent form so I was obliged to have a second...
On 27th January 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Kings Head
My second visit to this pub, the first being on the PuG tour some five years ago, back then it was the last pub of the crawl and I remember very little about it. So on my revisit I found a cosy narrow, carpeted traditional pub, the beer selection was also on the traditional side of things so I went for the relatively racey selection of Timothy Taylors Knowle Spring.
A pleasant pub.
On 9th October 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Kings Head
The Kings Head is a nice looking old pub that is a short walk to of from Temple Meads station.
Once inside the bar is to the front left,there is a narrow area by the bar with the rear area being more comfortable and cosy with it being carpeted and having comy bench seating and small stools.
There were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Castle Rock Harvest Pale to see if it travelled well,it did,the other beers were Hogs Back TEA,Harveys Best and Sharps Atlantic.
There was decent background music playing.
This is a very pleasant and comfortable pub to have a drink in.
Pub visited 25/6/2016
On 14th August 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Kings Head
Very traditional polished small ale house, complete with snob screen. Decorative architecture and interior, toby jugs, great place for a pint.
On 1st April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Kings Head
The date on the front of this wonderful traditional pub reads 'Circa 1660', making this one of the city's great survivors. Thankfully, the interior remains unspoilt as well, with a fairly unique layout, much of which dates back to an 1865 re-fit. You enter into the front bar area - a narrow space made even narrower by the presence of the servery down the right hand wall. Some limited fixed bench seating at the front provides the only seating options in this part of the pub, which is a bit of a shame, as it would be nice to relax opposite the bar given the attractive nature of the servery. The counter has some nice detailed woodwork running under the bar top whilst the bar back has a number of panels with advertisements for various products including 'Claret', 'Cigars' and 'Mineral Waters'. There is also a much larger panel promoting 'Burton Ales and Dublin Stout' at the point where the servery narrows to accommodate a doorway in the bar back. Beyond, there is a narrow corridor along the left hand side, lined with wonderful old photos and sketches of Bristol in years gone by, which leads you into the 'tramcar snug', which is a fairly unique feature, partitioned from the corridor by an attractive wooden screen. The snug uses long curved banquettes and standard chairs to good effect, creating a comfortable, cosy space that is undoubtedly the best spot to bag a seat. Bell pushes are still visible behind the banquettes and there is a hatch at the end allowing access to the bar.
Four handpulls were dispensing Sharp's Doom Bar, Courage Best, Butcombe Gold and Otter Amber - not the most exciting line-up of the day, but I enjoyed a pretty good pint of the Amber nonetheless.
This is the only pub in Bristol designated as having an interior of national importance by CAMRA, and it's pretty easy to see why. If you enjoy relaxing over a well kept pint in a traditional pub environment, this is probably the best the city has to offer and it is well worth including on any tour around the city.
On 11th December 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Kings Head
I am pleased we got to visit this Camra National Inventory pub on our PG crawl as you certainly couldn't miss this one out. I have to agree with Rex, it would be nice to visit here, when the pub is a little quieter. I went for the Butcombe Gold which was a good pint.
On 20th November 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Kings Head
This is the only CAMRA National Inventory pub in Bristol, and it's easy to see why it's on there as you enter. It looks nothing special from the outside, but inside there's a veritable treasure trove of original Victorian features, including a magnificent bar back; bar counter; and the "Tramcar" snug area towards the end of the room. The toilets are pretty much Victorian in their functionality as well, with the "ladies" helpfully having "ladies only" on the glass panel in the door. There are also all manner of bits of bric a brac around the place, including jugs hanging from beams, brewery mirrors, miscellaneous prints, old advertisements and other stuff in the bar back's alcoves. The walls of the narrow passage by the tramcar are covered in interesting prints. There were several ales on, all of which I failed to note.
This pub is an absolute must for any Bristol crawl, if only for the chance to see largely unspoilt Victorian fittings (although the building itself predates Victoria by some margin). I would love to visit again to have a better look round at a quieter time.
On 18th November 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Kings Head
Splendid little pub, which could almost be mistaken for a shop when viewed from a distance. Inside, you will find a very well-preserved and traditional layout with a cozy screened 'snug' beyond the smallish bar. Not a great choice of beer, but the Otter Amber (£3.60) on my latest visit was fine and in any case it is the interior that really makes this place stand out. Handily placed between Temple Meads and the city centre, this heritage gem is always worth a stop.
On 16th November 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]