Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Bucking Fastard
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Great Western (JD Wetherspoon), Cardiff
Cardiff
CF10 1FA
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Great Western (JD Wetherspoon)
A good sized Wetherspoon’s spread over a couple of floors and very handily located for Cardiff Central station, it seems to be a fairly run of the mill ‘Spoons without any particular distinguishing features, and is looking a little tatty if you look to closely.
Internally it consists of a number of interconnected rooms, and for the most part it appears fairly bland with much whitewashed paintwork although there are also areas of deep maroon in places as well as some khaki green wood panelling on the lower part of the walls and some very fake looking exposed brickwork. Flooring was a mixture of sanded boards and the usual ‘Spoons carpet, but the only things that were really worthy of any note work some attractive, arched windows looking out over the street that looked as though they belonged more in a church than a pub, and a intricate wrought iron staircase leading to the upper level. Some padded blue bench seating was around the permitter, and there were the usual assortment of information on the walls relating to local figures including Roald Dahl and Terry Nation.
Beers on tap were Abbot Ale, Ruddles Best, Gower Good Elf, Glamorgan’s Santa’s Little Belter, Rhymney Export and Coach House Three Kings, whilst the Doom Bar appeared to have run out. Ciders meanwhile were Thatcher’s Haze, Strongbow, Stowford Press and Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime. Overall, a useful stopping off point if you’ve got time to kill before catching a train, but I certainly wouldn’t make a particular point of returning.
On 24th December 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Great Western (JD Wetherspoon)
What a gorgeous building! It was visible from my train as it pulled into Cardiff Central station, but with it being a Wetherspoons I wasn't sure about whether or not to call in for a beer and went into the city centre. On my way back I found myself with a few minutes to spare so thought I might as well have a half, so I approached the bar and asked for a half of Brains SA (the others being SA Gold, plus the usual Trio of Doom). I was surprised to be presented with a pint of beer and asked to pay £2.59 for it. Another person standing nearby confirmed that he had heard me ask for a half, so the lass behind the bar poured half of the contents into the smaller glass, with not very good grace, it seemed to me. I may have to go back to my former policy of ignoring Wetherspoons pubs, as I rarely have a good experience in them.
Date of visit: 5th October 2017
On 18th October 2017
- rating: 3
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Great Western (JD Wetherspoon)
Substantial and decent-looking former railway hotel, unfortunately transformed into a rather dull Lloyds No 1 Bar. Various seating / dining areas - none with any residual character - arranged over two floors (although the upper part is a bit more inviting if you ascend whatever the square version of a spiral staircase is called, and there is also a compact enclosed terrace). Fairly quiet early on a Friday lunchtime, so served quickly, but an annoying number of uncleared tables were subsequently observed. Six of seven handpumps in operation downstairs (with further duplicated pumps at first-floor level), offering Ruddles, Doom Bar, Abbot, Brain's SA Gold, Boss Brave from Boss Brewing and Thunderbird from Glamorgan Brewing (£2.59).
On 30th July 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Great Western (JD Wetherspoon)
This is clearly a former Victorian Railway Hotel that according to the JDW web site was a pub with the same name when they took it over in 2004. I didn't look upstairs, in fact I doubt that it was even open on my morning visit. Downstairs consists of a series of connecting areas with a mix of carpeted and wooden floors.
The downstairs bar only has six hand pumps which is pretty poor but it is a Lloyds. These had the two GK beers, Adnam's Broadside, Doom Bore, Kite Thunderbird and Rhymney Export. I went for the Rhymney Export (£2.35) which was in very good nick. Not one of the best Spoons but it is an interesting old building and was OK early on a Tuesday morning.
On 16th June 2015
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Great Western (JD Wetherspoon)
A JDW Lloyds variant housed in a lovely imposing building (as PSM notes below, originally built for GWR in the 1870’s). Not a huge amount of original features remain in large opened-out interior which is also curiously devoid of seating. Three guest ales with one off. My Rhymney Export was in decent form. Very busy given it was mid-Saturday afternoon and there were no sporting fixtures on nearby. Not a Spoons I’d make much effort to return to, I’ll leave it to the St Marys hoards next time.
On 1st October 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Great Western (JD Wetherspoon)
The Wetherspoons chain is heavily represented in Cardiff with five or so outlets in the city centre and a few more, further out into the suburbs. This particular venue is just a few doors down from The Prince of Wales with a decent location on the St Mary Street drinking strip, next to Cardiff Central station. The impressive building was constructed for the Great Western railway company back in the 1870’s and the grand facade is worth taking in as you approach because there is nothing inside to match up to it. Part of the Lloyds No.1 brand, the place is set up more for vertical drinking, with the main bar area having plenty of open space with tables in areas opposite and to the right of the servery. On our Saturday night visit we found a DJ in full swing blasting tunes out across a dark dancefloor area to the left of the bar, with a few seats in an area behind a staircase providing us a bit of refuge from the onslaught. The pub seemed to extend further to the left and plenty of people were heading upstairs where I presume there is additional seating, but I failed to properly explore these areas. The whole place felt a bit tatty and neglected and this impression didn’t really alter when I popped in to meet some friends the following morning.
I counted five hand pumps dispensing two ‘Spoons regulars and three guest ales, of which I tried the Ansell’s Moonshine which was pretty poor and served up by a very glum barmaid. Some bright spark decided to buy everyone a bottle of ‘Hooch’ so my over-riding memory of the pub is of trying to drink a lemon flavoured bottle of sugary syrup.
I was disappointed with this place as I thought it took very little care of the way it presented itself or looked after its beer. If I was waiting for a train or just in need of a ‘Spoons fix, I’d rather walk a few doors further down and drink in the plush surrounds of the Prince of Wales instead.
On 2nd July 2013
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nigel Sheppard left this review about The Great Western
What you expect from a Wetherspoons pub. Beer was OK although I had limited time to explore properly.
On 13th July 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 192 recommendations about 192 pubs]