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Submitted on Wednesday, 8^th May 2024
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The Queens Vaults, Cardiff

29 Westgate Street
Cardiff
CF10 1DA

Correct details

Served areas

Cardiff Central

Reviews of The Queens Vaults (Average Rating: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Quinno _ left this review about The Queens Vaults

Attractive glazed ceramic tile exterior, retained from its Ind Coope days. Inside is a surprisingly huge place which looks like multiple subsumations and extensions. Retains distinct areas and has a 1990s feel to it; wood trim, wallpapered pillars and velvet curtains. The front area isn't a bad place to drink; it then opens-out at the rear to 3x pool tables and a jumbo screen with an odd mix plenty of national sporting ephemera, pictures of cliched rock stars and some old landscape pictures on display. Clearly popular, with plenty of people in on a Sunday afternoon despite there being no events at the Millennium. Six cask on and mainly Welsh origin. GBG listed, my Brains SA Gold lacked a bit of turnover but was fair (NBSS 2.5) which indicates they’re carrying one or two excess. Kudos to the hyperactive Irish barman who owned his space and kept things moving. Noted that there’s a big sign on the till that states “cash is king” (though they do take cards). On balance I’d be willing to give it another go in future, they were getting most things about right for a venue of this type. 6.5

On 15^th May 2024 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5185 recommendations about 5168 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Danny O'Revey left this review about The Queens Vaults

Half pool bar, half trad pub, one large open space, lively vibrant and popular, high ceiling, velvet curtains and a couple of real ales

On 23^rd November 2019 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Pub SignMan left this review about The Queens Vaults

One of a series of good drinking venues along this stretch of Westgate Street, the Queen's Vaults is a smart, traditional pub set up to appeal to a wide range of customers. The pub's exterior is certainly worthy of comment, with a fine ceramic tile façade that gives the Golden Cross a run for its money. Entering through the corners doors, with quirky rugby ball shaped handles (in a nod to the neighbouring Millennium Stadium and Cardiff Arms Park), you emerge into a large bare boarded room with several distinctly different areas. The front space is a typical seating area with U-shaped banquette booths running down the right hand wall and a slightly raised carpeted area under the front windows with standard tables and chairs ideal for diners. A series of large pillars throughout the pub, each covered with patterned wallpaper, break the large space up very effectively. High tables and stools and high backed padded chairs fill the mid section of the room, with plenty of vertical drinking space further back, in front of the servery which runs in an L shape along the back wall and towards the rear. The dark wood counter and bar back has been covered in a healthy collection of pump clips which hints at a strong ale range. To the rear left there are no less than three pool tables plus a huge screen showing muted football highlights - with other smaller screens dotted around the rest of the pub. A shelf towards the rear has been decorated with all manner of unusual and unrelated items, with a French horn being the most memorable. The pub has been nicely decorated with various old pictures, cigarette cards, mirrors and bits of breweriana, which help give it a traditional feel.
A very good selection of predominantly Welsh beers was available at the bar, comprising Brains SA and Bitter, Grey Trees JPR Pale Ale, Kite Try Time, Vale of Glamorgan Fe Fi Fo Fum and one English interloper - Wadworth 6X. The barmaid was very friendly and offered me a taster of the Try Time when she realised I was dithering. It turned out to be a pretty good beer and in good condition.
I really liked the feel of this pub and thought it was exactly the sort of place you could find yourself losing several hours in. The pool tables and large screens could be viewed as unnecessary distractions, but I took a seat towards the front of the pub and didn't notice them at all. Well worth including on any crawl around the city centre.

On 19^th April 2015 - rating: 7
[User has posted 3126 recommendations about 3126 pubs]

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