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Seven Stars, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 6JG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about Seven Stars
Another pub on the Victoria Street slate of pubs which I used to be a big fan of. For various reasons I haven’t been back here for a fair while and it has had a makeover and re-modelling inside – it’s no longer the scuzzy alehouse it was before (though the smell of damp still pervades). That said the interior is still relatively basic. A somewhat over-familiar barman presiding behind a line of pumps (half of which weren’t actually clipped) that looked like a parade of Hattifatteners. I went for a Parkway Mumbo Jumbo which was tepid despite the place being rammed (NBSS 2.5). Luckily I remembered to get the CAMRA discount, else I’d have been relieved of £5.70 which is getting on for London prices. Was nobody drinking the cask or are there no line cooling services? Who knows. Either way I sat in the alleyway and mulled-over how I don’t really recognise this bit of Bristol any more. 6.5
November 2014
Continues to serve, in my opinion, the best-kept and most exciting ales in Bristol by a long way. A shame that Paul is moving on but all good things must eventually end. However on a happier note he is being replaced by a well-regarded staff member so continuity should be assured. I’ve never had anything approaching a duff pint in here so, despite the (gripe time) toilets and the pool table taking up too much space, I really would say this is where all hardened ale-drinkers should head from Temple Meads. Rated 9
May 2013
Takes a bit of finding in the back streets as it isn't obvious to the uninitiated but well worth it. The pub was previously famed for being the meeting place of a key anti-slavery event; now there are a great selection of up to eight well-kept ales, a buzzing atmosphere and a warm welcome here in this small alehouse which has won multiple Bristol CAMRA Pub of the Year awards. The beer is plentiful, cheap (more so with a CAMRA discount) and in extremely good nick all-round the clock. Staff are on-the-ball, friendly and knowledgeable which is a rare combination. Perhaps the downside is that interior can be politely described as 'basic'. Personally I'd want to get a pot of paint out and give it a good going-over*, plus new seat fabric; the state of it would certainly put off the casual pub-goer. Those of the social disposition can enjoy a few games of arrows or regular live music. A pool table is available but it takes up too much precious space in my humble opinion. At busy times drinkers regularly spill-out onto the narrow cobbled street, London-style. Given its proximity to the Bridge Inn, Cornubia, Kings Head and Old Fish Market you can have a good quality crawl less than 10mins walk from Temple Meads for little effort. One of the best ale pubs I've been to in the UK when the last half-dozen visits are tallied. Rated 9
On 5th December 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Seven Stars
Seven Stars is down a cobbled alley that has a long row of picnic tables that were all full, with mainly students, during a midweek evening visit. The L-shaped wooden floor interior has a stage and dartboard around to the left and seating around the exterior walls. The bar support eight handpumps, three of which were being on, one was off, three were unused and the last was being used as a blue roll holder. Premium and craft keg was also available. There was some background music playing from the jukebox, but there were only three people actually in the pub, which included me and the friendly barmaid. Not sure I’d rush back here to be honest.
On 2nd September 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5241 recommendations about 5209 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Seven Stars
Completely unspoiled pub - very lived in a touch shabby. Pool Table and Dart Board. Unfortunately, only two other punters in - so not much of an atmosphere. We were periodically joined by trampy looking fellas who came in just to use the facilities, to the visible annoyance of the bar staff.
Beer was good and unusual - Cheddar Ales Totty Pott Porter.
Would come back.
On 6th January 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Seven Stars
The Seven Stars is comfortably lived in and unrefurbished. It reminds me of several boozers of my youth which almost felt like village pubs in the centre of towns or cities. Most have been sadly 'improved', a fate which I hope that The Seven Stars avoids.
Beers on were Great Heck Shankar IPA, Tunnel Vision, Arbor Motueka and Triple Hop, Kingston Farm Brewery Rotavator IPA, Bristol Beer Factory Seven and Milk Stout. A good range with no fear of strength and plenty of local representation.
The perfect spot for a quiet lunchtime or evening pint of top quality ale.
On 1st July 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Seven Stars
Enjoyed our visit to this 2016 Good Beer Guide pub. We chose beers from Ashley Down, Plain and Castle Combe which we left as it was not right but the bar staff had no interest in changing it. Only black mark to a pleasant visit.
On 24th April 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Seven Stars
Back street pub next to music venue and caters for the rock/blues market. In need of some tlc, there are wood floorboards and a pool table at one end.
There is a large arrange of beers, some unusual but nothing local on my visit.
On 1st April 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Seven Stars
Another survivor in this part of town, the Seven Stars is a welcoming 17th Century pub with a nice traditional feel to it complimented by a strong ale range. The pub has a nice coloured pictorial plaque on the front wall commemorating the role it played in the abolition of slavery, whereby the landlord at the time befriended Thomas Clarkson of the Association for the Abolition of the Slave Trade and was able to tip him off as to which crews had been assembled through forced labour. You enter into a bare boarded U-shaped room with a centrally positioned servery directly opposite the front door, boasting a dark wood counter, split in two by a large support pillar. Banquette seating runs around the perimeter along with plenty of standard chairs and low stools. The walls are predominantly cream in colour and have been decorated with lots of pictures of pubs and various local scenes. A fireplace takes pride of place over on the left hand wall and has a large brewery mirror above, whilst further back the room opens out slightly, creating enough space for a pool table, dartboard and juke box. There are some interesting items on the walls here including some old pub signs (see the pub’s website for an article on the pub’s previous signs) and picture of the Mona Lisa enjoying a pint of beer. The right hand side of the pub is somewhat less chaotic and offers a good deal of comfortable seating in a traditional saloon bar type area.
Lots to choose from at the bar, with an ale range comprising Dark Star Skinner’s Pale Ale, Severn Vale Nibley Ale and Black as Yer Hat, Firebrand Graffiti IPA, Cotswold Spring Codger and Stroud Tom Long, plus one unclipped pump. I tried the Pale Ale and on a return visit later in the day I sampled the Nibley Ale, with both served in good condition. The pub was named Bristol and District CAMRA pub of the Year in 2010 and 2011 and was runner up for the last two years.
This is a really welcoming pub that stood out as one of the highlights of a day of good pubs. It seems that this part of the city is the place to be if you like uncomplicated traditional pubs with well kept beer and a very good mini-crawl can be enjoyed in the vicinity, assuming you can drag yourself out of this place.
On 5th December 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Seven Stars
No change from my previous visits and this premier Real Ale pub continues to attract an eclectic mix of punters, so the PuG crawl crowd fitted seamlessly into the throng. I think I counted seven beers available across the two banks of pumps and the usual mix of beer styles from largely the smaller independent breweries were available.
Beers from Butcombe (Haka), Stroud Brewery (Tom Long) and Dark Star were on but a couple of halves of the darker BLACK as yer ‘AT and Firebrands Graffiti IPA at 5% were tried and found in excellent condition. It was interesting to be able to compare and contrast on this visit with the new Craft Ale bars beginning to populate King Street and although this new competition will attract those, like my good wife, who prefer the clean and modern, the Seven Stars still remains a goto pub for us traditionalists.
On 1st December 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Seven Stars
Its always nice to find an un-tampered with traditional backstreet pub and this is one of them. A 17th century pub that has won a number of CAMRA awards over the last few years and they seem well justified. Eight beer pumps were offering an interesting selection of ever changing beers and although my pint of Darkstar Skinners was not the best beer of many tried over the day,the condition was good.Interestingly they hold a monthly beer festival(a Beeriodical)which is held on the first Monday to Thursday of the month featuring a different county each time.A very likable pub and a must visit in Bristol.
On 19th November 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Seven Stars
For some reason, a few of us ended up here twice on our PG crawl and have to say each visit was excellent. This is a homely sort of pub with a good relaxed and laidback atmosphere. You could quite easily spend a good few hours in this one. I went for the Severn Vale Nibley Ale, which was a good session ale.
On 17th November 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]