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The Volunteer Tavern, St. Judes, Bristol
Bristol
BS2 9DX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Volunteer Tavern
A traditional back street pub which dates from 1670. The pub was also voted Bristol and District Camra Branch Pub of the Year 2016. This is a small one room pub with a large enclosed patio garden at the rear. This area also has an outside bar and a Barbeque. Six ales on handpump on our visit, so we went for the house ale, Volly Pale Ale, which is brewed for them by Twisted Oak Brewery, which cost a reasonable £3.20 a pint. I also tried the Arbor Brewery M Bomb. Both beers were in great shape and the young manager was friendly and helpful and he also gave us the names of two good ale pubs to visit.
On 17th May 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Volunteer Tavern
A great little pub in a somewhat unpromising location, it is in fact only a couple of minutes walk from the Cabot Circus shopping centre and well worth making the short detour to rather than going to any of the bland, identikit chain bars that one will find there.
Internally it consists of just one room, and is quite small although there is also a good sized covered and heated beer garden at the rear. Décor wise it’s quite traditional with sanded wooden boards on the floor, battleship grey paint on much of the woodwork and shades of brown elsewhere. A pile of board games were stacked up next to the narrow porch door, which to some extent was made to look like the Tardis with a police call box sign and so on, although painting it blue rather than black would have made it more realistic. The bar counter is off to the left and had a selection of banknotes adorning the top of it, whilst a few tiny black and white photographs and plenty of old beer mats were on the walls.
A couple of boards on the wall advertised some of the meal deals such as burger nights, although we there for the Sunday lunch which is well regarded. Options were the usual beef and pork along with maple roasted turkey and a nut roast of some description. Overall it was pretty good, although at £13.95 was at the top end of the range for Sunday lunches and I’m not sure it was quite worth that.
Another board next to the bar highlighted the current beer range, which on this occasion was 6 cask and three keg, with the former being something from Twisted Brewery, Dawkins Holey Moley, Binghams Twyford Tipple, Gloucester IPA, Shiney Pail and Arbor Smak My Brew Up. Ciders were Stowford Press and Lilley’s, along with a couple of boxes racked up behind the bar, one of which was from Sandford Orchards. All in all, a great pub and well worth a visit.
On 5th December 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Volunteer Tavern
Tucked away from the city centre melee,this is an utterly charming ale house which should not be missed.The building is old,early Georgian ?,and the low entrance opens into the tap room with the bar,covered in old bank notes, to the left and a useful chalk board ahead listing both real ale (6) and craft keg (3) options.The welcome was chatty and very friendly .This room cover the length of the frontage but isn't huge so it wouldn't take many punters to fill up,but there is a large and charming beer garden partially covered by an awning.It's an oasis and many birds were tweeting in the trees above.There are space heaters if it's cold,there is a raised area to the rear and a rustic bar for use when events are on dispensing keg beers.
At the bar there was a glass dome with home made sausage rolls,substantial ,tasty and very good value.The ale options on my trip were Cheddar Bedstraw,Twisted Oak Fallen Tree (very good),Boss Brewing Brave,Plain Ales Inspiration,Steam Box Half Sovereign and Piddle 69er.A very varied and interesting selection of local microbrewery output ,and had I not been on a real ale crawl I would have stayed a lot longer.Full deserved its 2016 GBG listing.
A genuine boozer,lots of fun and one not to miss when in Bristol.
On 26th June 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Volunteer Tavern
Dimly lit bare boarded pub, chunky oak tables & chairs & bench seating along outer wall. Bar at one end near entrance there are flowers and candles on the tables. part Distressed wood panelled walls and pastle purple walls.
A bit arty but it gets away with it. One room and foody. There is fabric bunting around part, background reggae music.
4 real ales plus some craft, probably just beats nearby Barley Mow for a place to drink.
On 1st April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Gibbs left this review about The Volunteer Tavern
The Volunteer Tavern is currently undergoing refurbishments and is set to open again sometime in the next month under new management. It will serve a real ales (as a genuine free house it will have free reign over the selection), lagers, ciders, spirits and soft drinks. A kitchen is also being built so you can look forward to good quality meals! Feel free to follow the pub on twitter (@VolunteerTavern) or find it on Facebook to keep up to date on progress.
On 6th July 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pete Yeates left this review about The Volunteer Tavern
Currently closed, with a notice on the front door stating "Pedro Antas (the landlord?) passed away 17th March".
Not clear how long it will be closed for, but at least there's no 'For Sale' notice on the building!
On 25th June 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 99 recommendations about 92 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Simon Lynton-jenkins left this review about The Volunteer Tavern
Newly refurbished with striped floors and furniture, outside garden and live music planned soon. Now featuring Rucking Mole on the back bar rack, Gem and Black Rat on hand pull. A relaxed enviroment in the centre of the City with chatty bar staff.
On 15th July 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]