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The Rutland Arms, Southsea
Southsea
PO4 0AH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Rutland Arms
Another solid looking back street boozer, pretty busy with Pompey supporters a couple of hours before kick off as you would expect. There were a quartet of ladies serving behind the bar spanning the generations so I'm guessing a family concern.Only one ale on, Waddies 6X and against my better judgment ordered a pint which after a barrel change came back murky and vinegar like, took it back and asked if they could pull it through some, replaced with a new pint and apology but unfortunately still in the same state, as the pub was busy I took the hit and left the pint behind. won't be back.
On 18th September 2022
- rating: 2
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Rutland Arms
Back street boozers are a speciality of Portsmouth and Southsea and just when you think you’ve seen them all, there’s always one more to stumble across. The Rutland Arms is a great example of this, hidden away down a side street not too far from Fratton station and Fratton Park, but easily missed in the maze of backstreets that abound in this part of town. It’s a traditional two room pub with a large, bare boarded main bar to the front and a smaller, cosier room to the rear. Basic tables and chairs run along beneath the front windows, with the servery down the rear wall. The bar has a fine wood panelled counter with a mirrored bar back and impressive gantry inlaid with old pictures of Portsmouth street cars and dock scenes and topped with lots of good old-fashioned pub tat like dusty barrels, plaster models of houses and other such bric-a-brac. Elsewhere, the walls are fairly bare, with the odd bit of local interest, such as a picture showing the various football kits of Portsmouth FC down the years, breaking up the monotony. Some additional seating is available over in the left-hand side of the room although there is a second, more lovingly furnished room to the rear which might be a better bet for a comfortable place to perch yourself. The furniture and décor back here is generally more plush and homely, although the pub-feel was very much retained thanks to typical features such as the dartboard. There was a modest number of locals in on a Friday night, but they seemed friendly enough and chatted away about their team’s prospects in the cup final at Wembley the following day.
There are four handpulls on the bar, although one is positioned away from the others, so make sure you scope them all out before ordering. Options on this visit were Shepherd Neame Hop County, Wadworth Horizon and Fallen Acorn Pompey Royal, with one pump unclipped. The Pompey Royal went down well and was served by one of the friendly crew of bar staff on duty that evening.
I like these welcoming backstreet pubs and would have to add this to the ever-growing list of such venues I’d like to return to when I’m next in town. Although this place doesn’t perhaps have the beer range to compete with the city’s finest, the warm welcome and traditional surrounds made up for it and I’m sure I’ll be calling in again before too long.
On 16th September 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Rutland Arms
The Rutland is a U-shaped pub with a dartboard in the left rear behind the bar which supports standard and premium keg lagers and three hand pumps, one of which was unused during a recent Friday evening visit. The plasma screen was off and there was some background music playing. Out the back is a beer garden with picnic tables that lead to a raised grass covered area at the very rear. For some reason there was a strong smell of bacon, which was very pleasant!
On 30th May 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Rutland Arms
Three-storey side-street corner pub with some brewers' Tudor on the upper third of both façades. Partially opened-out inside, but retaining separate lounge and public bars. Three of four handpumps in use between the two counters, offering Fallen Angel Pompey Royal (£1.90, half), Shepherd Neame Hop County and Wadworth Horizon.
On 24th April 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Rutland Arms
Another backstreet corner pub in the area, and it’s a rather attractive one too with plenty of natty exterior stylings along with a Tudor-esque upper third. The interior unfortunately doesn’t live up to the challenge though and is a fairly bland affair, though the bar upper is worth a gawp as there are a large number of black and white photos of what I took to be a theme based on ‘trams in old Portsmouth’. Darts available in the rear area. Four pumps with three on; Shepherd Neame Hop County, Fallen Angel Pompey Royal (NBSS 3) and Wadworth Horizon. Felt like a decent all-rounder and a good one to know about aside the usual Pompey suspects. Also close to Fratton station for a swift escape back up the train line. 6.5
On 10th April 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Rutland Arms
Another prominent Southsea back street corner pub with an attractive frontage externally and a remaining two room set up albeit now connected internally by a large opening. The right hand side is more loungelike whereas the smaller left hand side has a pool table and dart board and less seating.
This was also my last visit on the PuG crawl and it was clearly affecting my eyesight by this stage as I completely missed the fourth handpump as my scribbles only reveal three pumps with Shepherd Neame Hop County and Fallen Angel Pompey Royal with one unclipped.
The Pompey royal was OK from remembrances and this looks like a decent pub with a lot of community activities going on. But I do hope the weekly meat raffle is a lot fresher than the one I used to experience in the British Queen in Tottenham back in the day..
On 8th April 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Rutland Arms
This was my second pub visited on the crawl, designed by the architect A E Cogswell, the first was the Eldon Arms. This pub does have four handpumps, you will see three lined up as you walk in, but it can be difficult to spot the fourth one, as it is slightly hidden behind a timber balustrade that supports the pot shelf. The interior was modest and fairly basic, a lot of pine timbers and painted walls. Beer wise, I went for the Wandworth Horizon, from the hidden pump.
On 2nd April 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Rutland Arms
The final stop of my Portsmouth crawl. An attractive pub, dating from 1898 to the designs of A. E. Cogswell. There's an attractive frontage with a corner turret and oriel windows to the first floor along with part jettied half timbering to the second floor.
Inside it's a bit plain with around four ales on pump though none sampled as I was quite researched but I would be happy to come here again.
On 31st March 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Rutland Arms
Good looking corner pub ,opened out and with pine flooring throughout,there is a dartsboard in a rear section and a neat and tidy finish elsewhere.
This was a brief crawl visit and the 4 handpumps were offering Shepherd Neame Hop County,Wadworth Horizon ,Fallen Angel Pompey Royal(ok condition) with a further pump unclipped.Not the most exciting line up but could have been worse.
A locals boozer but very close to Fratton Park so could get mobbed on matchdays.
On 31st March 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Rutland Arms
Very smart and well-kept pub in residential area, with some well-kept local beers also. Nice garden at rear, but beware - the pub doesn't open on weekday lunchtimes.
On 18th August 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]