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Chat about:
In the Hop Garden with rpadam
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Graham Coombs
Submitted on Monday, 21st January 2019
With picture contributions to 3274 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (16 more images)
Detail Pages
The Dolphin Inn, Hastings
Hastings
TN34 3DW
Served areas
Dolphin Inn
Live music with
The Rufus Stone Band tonight 9pm
#saturdaynight #tistheseason #Livemusic #entertainment… https://t.co/0zYqMcGr60
10:14 AM Dec 28th from Instagram
Reviews of The Dolphin Inn (Average Rating: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Dolphin Inn
A decent two roomed pub with the main bar on the right hand side, with a fine example of some oak parquet flooring. The smaller room on the left was also busy on our visit and drinks are served from a tiny section of the bar area. The weather was good on our visit, so the front patio area was utilised by further customers. The majority of the customers were dining on our visit, however the pub did have a choice of six handpulled ales. The majority of the beer selection was fairly mainstream, so we went for Dark Star Hophead and Oakham Citra, prices were also slightly inflated.
On 4th November 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2976 recommendations about 2976 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Dolphin Inn
An excellent pub, despite being in the touristy bit opposite the famous fishing sheds. The interior is a fairly standard seaside type, with fishing nets and other nauticalia around the two rooms, either side on the bar. There is a patio area at the front, raised above road level. But what it does have is that feel of a lively, well-run pub, with a good welcome. A fair range of beers is offered, at time of visit including 3 Legs Black, Youngs Special, Harveys Sussex and Long Man American Pale. That they take their beer seriously can be seen as the pub has also won various local CAMRA awards.
On 21st January 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2194 recommendations about 2145 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Dolphin Inn
Located on the seafront opposite Hastings' famous fisherman's net huts (and the modern intrusion of the Jerwood Gallery), the Dolphin is a great example of how a traditional fisherman's pub can be updated for a contemporary audience. A small front patio with limited seating gives some great views out to the aforementioned sights and the sea beyond, making it a good spot on a warm day. Entering into the left hand side of the pub, you find yourself in the smaller of two bars where a compact square servery in the rear right corner has a board to one side listing the full range of ales available. It's a quaint little room with some rather cramped back to back pews under the windows on the front wall and a selection of standard seating options down the left towards the rear. As you might expect, the room is decorated with plenty of seafaring bits including ship's wheels, ropes, lobster pots and the diverting sight of a fishing net hung from the ceiling and full of various plastic fish. The main bar is through a doorway to the right, where a larger room can be found with the servery along the left hand side. The choice seating options here seem to be the smart banquettes along the right hand wall which look very comfortable and stand beneath a great collection of vintage advertisements and a ceiling covered with pump clips. Plenty more nautical themed bric-a-brac can be seen around the room and there are some very attractive partitioning screens here and there with a wave shaped motif carved along the top of each. A few people outside were getting stuck into some no nonsense pub grub, but I didn't see a menu, so I'm not sure how the prices compare.
The pub has been a leading light in Hastings' ale scene for a number of years now and the boards next to the bar detailed a good selection from established favourites and some obscurer micros. The full range on this visit was Youngs Special, Harvey's Sussex Best, Tonbridge American Pale Ale, Arbor Blue Sky Drinking and Trade Union Pale Ale. I gave the Blue Sky Drinking a go and it was a lovely pint in excellent condition, whilst my Dad's half of the APA was also top notch - some excellent cellarmanship on show here.
This place was relatively quiet when we visited on a Sunday afternoon, which is a shame as I imagine it could be the sort of place that really gets going with a good crowd inside. I thought it was a very nicely presented venue, making good use of its history and location to create an interesting and comfortable environment in which to spend some time, with great quality beer as a bonus. I'm not particularly familiar with the Hastings pub scene, but I'd be surprised if there were many that could better this place.
On 17th June 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2449 recommendations about 2449 pubs]
View more reviews of The Dolphin Inn (10)
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- Dolphin Inn official site - thedolphinhastings.co.uk
- Facebook - Dolphin Inn
- Twitter - Dolphin Inn
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Dolphin Inn - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Car Park : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Darts : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Function Room : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 18 December 2013 by Moby Duck
- Jukebox : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Karaoke : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Live Music : Yes last updated 18 December 2013 by Moby Duck
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Micropub : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Pinball : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Pool Table : No last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Quiz Night : Yes last updated 18 December 2013 by Moby Duck
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
- WiFi : Yes last updated 17 June 2017 by Pub SignMan
