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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
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Ye Olde Dolphin Inne, Derby
Derby
DE1 3DL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
Cracking multi-roomed pub next to the cathedral, which lays claim to be Derby’s oldest public house. You enter into a corridor which gives access to the main bar area and other rooms through a series of openings to the left. The bar has a surprisingly dull counter for such an old pub, but the bar back retains some good shelving, obfuscated glass panes and a dusty collection of old bottles. There are fixed benches opposite with low stools in support, all notionally arranged around a pleasant brick fireplace in what seemed like the liveliest room of a fairly quiet pub. Decor includes a plain mirror and random ornaments above the fireplace, a large Bass sign opposite, on an otherwise plain wall, plus a few other minor bits of breweriana. Passing through a narrow gap to the left of the bar, more seating appears in a cramped but cosier rear space. There then appears to be further seating at the end of the corridor at the back of the pub, but I never made it this far, so have no idea if it’s a nice spot or not. Reggae tunes were playing randomly in the background and I got the impression that the place had been quite busy earlier in the evening, but was notably winding down by the time I arrived.
A solid ale range comprising Castle Rock Screech Owl and Harvest Pale, Draught Bass, Greene King Abbot Ale and Robinsons Trooper greeted my arrival and my pint of the Screech Owl was in reasonable condition - perhaps the least impressive pint on an otherwise very successful thirteen-pub crawl.
This one is definitely worth a look for the interesting old interior, which merits a little more exploration than I mustered at the end of a long day in the field. The average beer quality makes this a question mark for repeat visits, but I enjoyed my time here and would definitely recommend it for its heritage value.
On 4th September 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Steve C left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
Ye Olde Dolphin Inne is a historic pub with lots of different seating areas served to the front and rear by a central bar counter. One of the hand pumps on the bar was being used as a blue roll holder, but the other seven were in operation drawing Bass, Castle Rock’s Harvest Pale and Screech Owl, Pedigree, Nottingham Brewery’s Dolphin 1530 AD, Abbot Ale and Robinson’s Trooper. Very cheap food is also available, the burger and chips was priced at £5. This was one of the busier pubs I visited on a recent Tuesday evening, but this popularity may have been because the weekly quiz had just started.
On 2nd August 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5231 recommendations about 5199 pubs]
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
It's been almost 8 years since I was last in the the Olde Dolphin. On that visit to Derby, this was our penultimate stop of the day. So, my memory is a little hazy. There are a couple of rooms at the front of the pub, with another to the rear. All are accessed from a side corridor. Looking at the previous review, there may well have been at least one other room that I did not locate.
Regular beers are Bass, Marston's Pedigree & Greene King Abbot. They have a house beer from Nottingham called Dolphin 1530 AD (presumably the year the pub was built) and 3 guest ales - Castle Rock Harvest Pale & Screech Owl & Robinson's Trooper.
Bar staff were quite amenable, even moving around the furniture in one of the front rooms to give our party of 10 some space for drinking. The pub was not quite as good as I remembered, but is still worth a visit for its historical interest, nonetheless.
On 4th July 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
I start getting concerned when I see signs like "Derby's oldest public bar" on the outside, but was pleasantly surprised to fine a genuine ancient multi-roomed pub. Four separate rooms are arranged round a compact central servery, with a tiled public bar at the front, a snug in the middle and two lounges at the side, one accessed through the bar. A real coal fire added a delicious smell to the place. My only grumble was when a quite unnecessary juke box suddenly burst into life as it was much nicer without. Ales on were Bass, Pedigree, Castle Rock Screech Owl, Robinson's Trooper and a house ale from Nottingham Brewery.
On 11th February 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
A characterful multi roomed pub both inside and outside. Can’t say exactly how many rooms there are as to our shame we only discovered the two either side of the main serving bar. But in my defence once you are in the back lounge bar in front of the open fire, it’s difficult to leave.
In normal circumstances the quantity of nine real ale offerings here would also make this a top pub to visit for the ale. But as the choices are mainly the standard offerings from mainline breweries, it doesn’t really cut the mustard in such a town for choice as Derby.
The front bar had Marstons Pedigree, TT Landlord, Sharps Atlantic and Doombar and the Dervento Brewery King Arthur on the pumps and then Bass, Hobgoblin, GK Abbot and Camerons Strongarm were available on those in the back lounge.
Like the others from that lot the King Arthur was the obvious choice and decent it was to..
It would be harsh to penalise this historic Inn, just because it’s surrounded by drinking establishments fully embracing the explosion of regional craft and cask microbreweries and therefore I also fully recommend it as a place to visit when in Derby.
On 26th November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
Inevitably, little change in this charming old pub since my last visit. The ale range is a bit so-so for central Derby (mainly regionals) but the quality is always good. I went for the most left-field choice from the local Derventio brewery and got a good half for my troubles. It’s always worth popping in here for a swift one but the beer hounds will up and away before long. 7.5
September 2010
A real medieval pub right by the Cathedral. An attractive Tudor-esque exterior gives way to a rambling collection of small olde worlde rooms off a flagstone-paved corridor, some with real fires too. Décor is dark wood low beams/panelling, leaded windows, cosy (if a little worn) furnishing and general Jacobean-stylings (it’s in the CAMRA National Inventory so I assume it to be kosher). The claimed 16th century heritage makes for a more touristy vibe than the average DE1 ale pub (see the advertised ghost walks, ‘Dick Turpin woz ere’ signs etc). So perhaps no great surprise, then, to also find that it held one of the more mainstream ale selection on our crawl, with only three of the eight pumps dispensing something out of the ordinary (the blackboard list above the bar bore little reality to the pumps). That said, the quality of those tried was good and the offer to have your Bass or Pedigree from either pump or jug was a real USP. I also ate here and was pretty impressed with the food. A drawback though is the smell of pub cooking is quite overpowering at times. There was a little beer garden out the back. It’s a must-do for the first-time Derby visitor but hardened drinkers might well put this further down the pecking order. Rated 8
On 22nd November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
A fine-looking pub, both inside and out, and claiming to be Derby's oldest. Features two bars with various seating areas and very traditional furniture / decor throughout. Pretty good selection of real ales including the local Derventio King Arthur (£1.70, half). Recommended.
On 21st November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
A gem of an interior,a must visit for that alone.The three seperate rooms are all worthy of close inspection,especially the small rear snug.The exterior is also beautiful.Proud to be the oldest pub in Derby,I failed to note the full ale range but it seemed to be exclusively national brands including my Sharps Atlantic.If you are looking for cutting edge real ale this isn't for you,but if you appreciate old pub interiors this should be right up your alley.
On 16th November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Davey left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
Great old beer pub in the heart of Derby. Much has been said in previous reviews, all true. Several good brews on my recent trip, including Betty Stoggs, Atlantic, Pedigree, Bass, Hobgoblin and Trooper. Well worth a visit on a crawl round town, easy walk to equally good pubs and the station.
On 26th October 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
A really good pub. Claiming to be the oldest in Derby. Real ale available. Descriptions elsewhere. Worth a visit.
On 6th August 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]