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University Arms, Sheffield

Pub added by Jim Newell
197 Brook Hill
Sheffield
S3 7HG
Phone: 01142228969

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about University Arms

An unexpected pleasure, finding an excellent pub in the middle of university land which is quite unlike most student bars (although I suspect that this place is perhaps more frequented by lecturers and other staff). With eight handpumps on the counter, I found the regular Thirst Degree from Acorn and Welbeck Abbey's Red Feather plus Abbeydale Moonshine, Thornbridge's Pica Pica oatmeal stout (£4.00) and other local beers from Stancil, Triple Point and Neepsend along with Lilley's Mango cider on this first revisit since 2009.

On 13th May 2023 - rating: 8
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Will Larter left this review about University Arms

I still come here from time to time as it's the nearest pub to my house, and I would come more often if I could be sure of finding a beer to my taste every time. Too many of the offerings are modern pale beers with new world hops, or milk stouts and the like. (The regular beers are Acorn Thirst Degree - which may well be Yorkshire Pride tweaked - and which is anyway not to my taste, and Welbeck Abbey Red Feather, which is undistinguished; there are usually four or five guests.) Today there was a beer celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first landing of a man on the moon: Acorn Brewery's Giant Leap 4.5%, which was pale and hoppy but with a very good bitter finish, and in very good nick too. Although there's no Camra members discount on halves, this was very good value at just £1.65; should have had a pint.

On 18th June 2019 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3700 recommendations about 3439 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Will Larter left this review about University Arms

A summer closure allowed plenty of time for an extensive refurbishment, which now gives more of a pub-like feel to the main room, though this has been achieved while leaving all walls and other major structures intact. The biggest change is that the upstairs rooms, which were previously available for functions and private hire, are now overspill seating, plus a room each for darts and pool. I'm impressed that anyone even thought of bringing a pool table up here, never mind doing it successfully. The smell of new paint mingles with food, but this will dissipate soon, I'm sure.

The beer selection and quality remains unchanged, though there is now a real cider too, and this is a popular venue for students, staff and people totally unconnected to the university (like me). Makes a handy little mini-circuit if combined with the Red Deer and the Bath Hotel.

On 13th October 2014 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3700 recommendations about 3439 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


John Bonser left this review about University Arms

This is a comfortable, traditional pub situated on what is, to all intents and purposes, part of the University campus ( there’s a slight clue in the name )

It’s only been a pub since January 2007, previously being the University Staff Club building and, based on my recent visit, it still effectively operates as such, being dominated by people who would appear to be lecturers, with the odd student group thrown in for good measure.

It feels a bit like entering a hotel foyer as you go in through the lobby into the bar area straight ahead of you. The bar has a traditional feel with a wooden bar counter and a bar gantry with coloured stained glass inserts. It’s traditionally furnished, with a number of comfortable padded banquettes, supplemented by normal tables and chairs. It’s largely carpeted and exudes a warm welcoming feel. A conservatory leads out to a large attractive looking beer garden at the rear.

Good value food is served – eg, fish, chips and mushy peas in decent portions at £ 5.95p. There’s something of a transient feel to the place with, on my lunchtime visit, lecturers and students coming in for a lunchtime pint and some food and then, presumably, returning to their classes.

The young staff are friendly and enthusiastic and, unprompted, I was made aware of the existence of some form of loyalty card that could be used, not only in the pub, but in other places too.

Outside, the Thornbridge Brewery logo, which I noted on my previous visit in 2009, is no longer there and, indeed, no Thornbridge beers were on during my visit. Beers on were Bradfield Farmers Blonde, Welbeck Abbey’s Red Feather, 2 beers from Acorn, plus one each from Kelham Island and Abbeydale. Beer quality was first rate on my visit. The pub is in the 2014 CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

This is probably now my pub of choice in the University area of the City and it’s well worth calling in, but do note that it doesn’t do Sundays.

On 27th May 2014 - rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about University Arms

This is a smart pub, close to the University buildings and therefore popular with students and staff alike. You enter through some stained glass front doors into a small lobby area which leads in turn into the carpeted main bar. The servery is located to the left and there is a narrow strip of seating squeezed down one side of it, so that you can pretty much order your drinks without having to get up from your seat. The main part of the room is much more spacious and has been painted in cream with a high dado, above which there is some textured design which also covers the ceiling. A number of curved banquettes and standard tables and chairs are broken up by some nice modern looking partitioning screens, whilst the walls have been decorated with some old posters. At the rear there is a tile floor conservatory with a mix of standard chairs and some battered old sofas and this leads out to a large contoured garden with plenty of picnic benches. A student friendly contemporary soundtrack was playing during my stay and a quick look at the menu revealed a range of cheap pub grub options ideal for the hard up customer base.
Unusually for a student pub, there was a wide ale selection, with Acorn Thirst Degree and Barnsley Gold, Doc Morton’s Bag O Nuts, Welbeck Abbey Red Feather, Bradfield’s Farmers Pale and Blue Bee Lustin for Stout to pick from. I tried the Thirst Degree (£2.60), which I believe is a house beer, and found it was in good shape. A blackboard near the bar listed a fairly large range of bottled goodies as well.
I was expecting this place to be a bit raucous, but it turned out to be a very pleasant pub and the sort of place I could imagine relaxing over a few well kept pints.

On 21st March 2013 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Gill Smith left this review about University Arms

Visited this 2011 Good Beer Guide pub a few times while attending the CAMRA AGM up the road from it, and enjoyed both the beers and the excellent food. It was busy, but service was good and staff friendly. Enjoyed beers from Acorn, Kelham Island, Imperial, Glastonbury, and Blue Bee breweries on my visits.

On 21st April 2011 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Will Larter left this review about University Arms

Following a recent change of manager, the beer policy has changed here and Thornbridge beers no longer dominate the bar. There is now an excellent choice from several different breweries, many of them local. In my experience the University Arms is frequented just as much by students as by staff, if not more. Yes, it used to be the staff club, but it is by no means exclusive. Food is available, there is a quiz night and bands play here. The garden is pleasant in summer when it can get crowded indoors. Closed on Sundays.

On 1st April 2011 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3700 recommendations about 3439 pubs]