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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Dispensary, Liverpool
Liverpool
L1 2SP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Ian Mapp left this review about The Dispensary
Well, another fine pub, where I was trapped by a thunderstorm. Unusually stopping for two - a Utopian Extra Pale Ale on Cask. So, only ever having this Devonian brewery in can, I come to Liverpool and find it on cask twice in two pubs. Also tried a Neptune Mosiac. Both in top condition.
Need a further reason to come to this classic old school pub?
Taytos.
On 10th July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Dispensary
Formerly a Cains house, the Dispensary is a typical Liverpool city centre boozer that used to be a regular haunt for us a few years back when Dave was in charge. He was a unique character in the city's pub scene, but we managed to get on well with him and always found the beer quality to be superb.
The pub changed hands a few years back, but it seems that the new owners have not tried to change what the pub was renowned for. The beer range is almost as good as before and the character remains, even down to the rather stinky toilets. In fact, it was actually much busier in here than how it used to be, with a much younger crowd. So, the new owners must be doing something right.
Regular beers here are still Oakham Citra, Ossett White Rat & Titanic Plum Porter. Also on for our Saturday evening visit were Titanic First Class & Bowland Hen Harrier. Not quite as many real ales as there used to be, but still very much a good pub.
On 31st October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Dispensary
the rumour that real ale is no more appears to be bogus, but the pub will be making attempts to market itself to the young students that mostly inhabit this area of town. The usual good ale selection was present today and the new owners are friendly so do give them a visit. Still a fine traditional ale house based on this visit.
On 22nd September 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Dispensary
Enjoyed our visit to this 2019 Good Beer Guide pub. Good beer selection with beers from Titanic, George Wright, Rat, Fernandes and Fyne. We chose Fernandes Black Voodoo which was the best beer we had over the last couple of days. Popular locals pub.
On 21st August 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Dispensary
great pub serving great beer and nothing more or less. completely traditional in every way. loved it but suspect it was unusually quiet this afternoon - we were the only ones choosing to sit down whilst 12 or so bar blocking regulars chatted away.
On 23rd May 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Dispensary
A good pub that seems to have lost its way recently. While I accept that non-frequent visitors will find the real ale selection good, the more regular may begin to find it all a bit repetitive. While the Titanic's Plum Porter and First Class plus the George Wright Marks Mild are readily available the rest of the beers now seem to be a permanent rotation of Rat Brewery beers with the occasional Fernandes beer thrown in. I'm not knocking the pub but the variety of guest breweries could improve.
On 27th January 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Dispensary
The doormat as you enter reveals that this was once the Grapes and I believe it was renamed to the Dispensary when the defunct Cain's brewery took it on. The exterior retains Cain's signage. Inside it's a classic Northern pub with a fairly small wooden floored back room and another area at the front. Beers noted were the house George Wright Mark's Mild, Titanic First Class & Plum Porter, Downton Bogus Buffalo, Fernandes Black Voodoo, Rat White Rat and Oakham Inferno. I went for the Bogus Buffalo (£3.30) which was in excellent nick. I also popped in again on the way back from the Roscoe Head for a Black Voodoo which was even better. It wasn't quite as busy on my second visit. This is a famous Liverpool drinking den and didn't disappoint.
On 23rd July 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Dispensary
Small two-tiered corner pub. Lower bar to front and a raised lounge to the rear. Lower bar is L-shaped with partitioned drinking areas, with a nice wooden bar and surround structure. Wall mounted TVs, muted and showing nothing in particular - why not just switch them off? Upper area is carpeted with stool, perch and banquette seating. Items of note included some large mirror vinyl (not etched glass) and stained glass, though oddly the three ornate pendant light fittings were not on. Mature clientèle. The toilets were atrocious, a proper yellow reservoir. Star of the show are the ales (I counted seven - keep an eye out for the three pumps hidden round the corner). I tried three, Titanic Plum Porter, George Wright Mild and Titanic First Class which were all in superb condition. A very good ale pub this, but bring your own catheter if you’re doing a session - would have given a rare 10 otherwise.
On 15th January 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
david hammill left this review about The Dispensary
i call in this pub when ever in liverpool and usually is very good but on this occasion quite the opposite i and pint of white cloud which was rather poor and had a pint of cains bitter also rather poor to make matters the landlords behavior letf a lot to be desired we were told to move our coats off the buffets because the pub can get quite busy but it was the manner in which he said this rather abrupt some time later as we were leaving we saw him rather heated debate with other customers not a nice man at all
On 3rd March 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 96 recommendations about 86 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Dispensary
ORIGINAL REVIEW March 2012
This pub was the last but certainly not the least on the 12 pub PuG crawl and hence my recollection is vague.A classic Victorian street corner boozer with a good selection of real ale and an authentic interior.My George Wright's Mark's Mild was outstanding and despite my pallet being confused by a lot of ale during the day,this was my beer of the crawl.I have marked this pub down for a definite revist when I will have a thirsty boating crew in tow later in the year.
UPDATE
And so I did.Second visit and the second time a Marble beer was on,this time Pint,and in my book that makes this place unmissable on any trip to Liverpool.They also had on Titanic Chocolate Vanilla Stout,my favourite of this style which also marks down their ale selection as Premier division.An upgrade from me.
On 10th July 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]