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Dylans Kings Arms, St Albans Central, St. Albans
St. Albans
AL3 4ER
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
Don't often do reviews close together but thought I should in this circumstance. Different bar person but she was just as friendly, knowledgable and enthusiastic about the beers they had on as the last guy I met. A good place to chat about craft beer. Landlord was the cask beer on this visit
On 26th January 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 777 recommendations about 697 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
It's easy to miss, or indeed dismiss, this place as it looks very much like a restaurant, both inside and out. I went in perhaps at the wrong time, on a Sunday afternoon when it was full of diners. However have a look to your right as you enter and you'll see a small bar with 9 craft taps and three handpumps. I love places like this where I can walk it, gaze at the taps and say "have you got any crazy stuff"? That's what I did here and the barman's eyes lit up and he talked me through some of their beers and offered tasters. Amongst others, I had a wonderful French Toast brown ale on cask and an interesting smoked peach sour from Wiper & True. They also had beers from Kernel, Pollys and Odyssey. Plus as a bonus a Victoria Malaga lager from the Damm stable that I was told was only available in about 50 places in the UK - in a branded glass. Definitely worth a visit, and just a stones throw away from Mad Squirrel.
NB closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
On 19th January 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 777 recommendations about 697 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
This is a cosy two room pub/restaurant in the historic centre of St Albans, occupying a lovely old timber framed building with striking glazed tile bands either side of the two entrances, one of which is now seemingly blocked. The pub is split into front and back rooms, both of which have a strong emphasis on food, so much so that when I arrived on a Thursday evening, I was forced to sit out on a picnic bench out on the cobbled street in front of the pub, due to every table inside being booked by diners. This denied me the chance to get a proper look inside, but I was allowed in to fill out the various bits of Covid paperwork, so I was able to have a quick look at the front room which has the servery over to the right and some decent seating options to the left. The walls are half panelled and dark wood beams across the ceiling help give the room an authentic traditional pub feel, enhanced further by muted lighting and various paintings, photos and mirrors around the walls. The front windows were liberally filled with generous flower displays, adding some good colour to proceedings and acting as something of a snob-screen to prevent passers-by from peeking in. The bar has a nice dark wood counter although it appears to be fairly modern and seating comes mainly in the form of high tables and stools along the left-hand wall, although more comfortable tables and chairs can be found by moving through into the rear room where things seem to have been set up more explicitly to cater for diners.
There was a constant stream of diners coming and going throughout the course of my visit, which suggests the place is very popular but had the downside of keeping the staff within the pub rather than coming outside and taking my order, so I was left in the cold for some time before I was able to order a pint of the sole cask ale – Three Brewers of St Albans Golden (£4.50). Once the beer arrived, I was pleased to find it was in good nick, with a satisfying big foamy head. Eight craft keg beers were also listed on the drinks menu, including brews from the likes of Gypsy Hill, Verdant, Boundary and Tiny Rebel.
I’m not sure I can offer a fully formed opinion of this place, having barely made it over the threshold, but I was able to surmise that it lends itself more to the diner than the drinker, but that should you wish to persist, you will at least be rewarded with a good quality pint to sup in a reasonably attractive, albeit food-led environment. I’m pleased I stopped off here but with so many good ale houses around the city, I’m only likely to head back here if I want something to eat.
On 13th November 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
Very easy to miss as you walk down George Street and that would be a shame.This old building has just one functional door into a tap room with a fine exposed wooden beam ceiling and some interesting hunting trophies of two Rams Heads.It's all very authentic with some high tables and a drinking shelf along the modest front window.Up some steps is a more formal restaurant and some fine cooking smells were wafting about.
There is a Snacking Menu in the tap room ,which looked interesting with a median price of £8,but this is upmarket St Albans.There are 9 keg taps but these seemed to have produce formerly by craft brewers but now takenover by mega breweies (viz Camden Town,Beavertown,Goose Island )
There are three handpumps offering a real cider ,Oakham JHB and a very decent 3 Brewers English Golden Ale in a CAMRA beer festival glass.
This is a quality establishment,maybe not suited for a massive session but most worthy of a crawl visit when in the area.
On 22nd August 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
The Kings Arms is situated in the middle of St Albans.
Once inside there is an oblong shaped room which runs to the rear,the bar is on the front right side,there are tall tables and chairs in the front area,the rear area is up three steps and there are normal tables and chairs here.
There was one real ale on the bar which was Dark Star Hop Head,this was a very nice drink.
The pub was quite busy with drinkers in the front area,there was decent background music playing.
I thought this was a decent pub to have a drink in.
Pub visited 24/6/2017
On 10th September 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
A traditional looking town pub from the outside but once inside feels a little more modern,however its still very much a real pub, my ELB Cowcatcher was in good form. A decent pub and enjoyed my drink here.
On 28th July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
Enjoyed a couple of decent beers on our visit, which were East London Brewing Cowcatcher and Dark Star Pale Ale. The pub was smart in appearance with some William Morris wallpaper near the entrance. The pub was getting busy on our arrival and getting served at the bar was fast and efficient.
On 26th July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
Located just off the Market Place, this is a slightly more contemporary pub than many in the vicinity, and perhaps due to it’s central location there is more of an emphasis on food here although it is also something of a “craft beer” venue and the front bar is still very much for drinkers.
The front bar has a sanded wooden floor with traditional black beams on the ceiling, although the paintwork on the walls is more Farrow & Ball. A mousse head was mounted on the end of the bar and there were a range of bottled beers up on a shelf. The larger room at the rear was clearly more geared up for dining with all the tables being laid up. This had a tiled floor and white painted boards on the ceiling. The loos were definitely of the posher variety than your normal pub bogs and included incense diffusers and a stack of thick paper towels in a basket.
Cask beers on a recent visit were just Cowcatcher from East London Brewing and Dark Star Pale Ale, whilst a third pump for Timothy Taylor Landlord appeared to have run out. As befits it’s craft ale pretensions though, there were also a number of keg options available which were a trio from Brew Dog with their Jack Hammer, Libertine and Dead Pony along with Union Summer Wheat Ale. Oddly my notes make no mention of any cider – hopefully they had something, but my memory of this pub is a little hazy for some reason.
On 21st July 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Dylans Kings Arms
Long room with dining to the rear.Smart ,modern with a black beamed ceiling which seems to be the norm for St Albans. Absolutely rammed on my visit.Small craft keg selection and 3 cask beers on.Darkstar-hophead and apa and Oakham -bishops farewell. I was amused by the sign on the door telling smokers to walk to the top of the street about 100 yds to have a cigarette and to keep noise to a minimum.As the original Dylan sang The Times They Are A Changin.Not for me I smoked outside.Excellent beer.
On 20th June 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Albany
I agree that the Albany is a restaurant and not a pub. I planned to enter just after 22:00 last night (Saturday) and the place was packed with diners receiving table service. It was patently obvious that I would not have been welcome to stand in between the set tables with a pint.
On 8th May 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]