Phil's World Pub Guides - Cheshire, UK

Pub Comments Location
CHESTER
Artichoke Another converted warehouse alongside the canal, this one is pleasantly done inside and serves fine cask ales. Very quiet at one on a Friday.
Last visited April 2023.
Steam Mill Street
Bear and Billet The usual old beams plus some good wood panelling in the back area. A fine selection of real ales.
Last visited October 2020.
Lower Bridge Street
Boot Inn Located on the famous Rows, this splendid historic pub with an olde-worlde interior sells a remarkably cheap pint of Sam Smiths bitter.
Last visited January 2019.
Northgate Street / Eastgate Street
Brewery Tap Up the steps to Spitting Feathers' brewery tap which of course sells their ales in excellent nick, along with guests.
Last visited October 2020.
Lower Bridge Street
Cavern of the Curious Gnome A bit hard to find, this one: Go into Paysan Wine Bar on the Rows on Bridge Street, then up the stairs. The reward for passing this test is a great bar in a splendid room, serving quality cask ales and a wide choice of other tempting beers.
Last visited April 2023.
Bridge Street Rows
Cellar Excellent real ale in this pleasant friendly bar. The menu looks good, not the usual pub standards.
Last visited April 2023.
City Road
City Tavern (Temple Bar) A pleasant comfortable pub belonging to Stonegate, serving decent real ale in a friendly atmosphere.
Last visited October 2020.
Frodsham Street / Union Walk
Coach House A few real ales are served in this up market food-oriented place where everyone else was dining and/or drinking gin or wine.
Last visited January 2019.
Northgate Street / Princess Street
Deva Tap Modern decor in this rather good bar hidden near the station. As you would expect in their tap, excellent Deva ales.
Last visited October 2020.
Brook Street / Francis Street
Dublin Packet A pleasant traditional old boozer serving decent real ales.
Last visited January 2019.
Northgate Street / Hamilton Place
Marlborough Arms Quality cask ales in this small traditional boozer. Very pleasant and friendly.
Last visited October 2020.
St John Street
Oddfellows Arms A nice pint of hand pulled John Smiths (And I don't often write that!!) in this traditional local.
Last visited May 2004.
Frodsham Street / Victoria Place
Old Harkers Arms A good selection of real ales in this converted canal-side warehouse.
Last visited October 2011.
City Road / Russell Street
Shropshire Arms A rather plain, but pleasant, knocked through pub. Decent real ales.
Last visited January 2019.
Northgate Street / Hunter Street
Red Lion An ordinary knocked-through traditional boozer. Good quality real ales from a small range.
Last visited January 2019.
Northgate Street / King Street
Telford's Warehouse Yet another converted warehouse, this one has been eccentrically converted in to a rather fine multi-roomed pub which serves quality real ales.
Last visited April 2023.
Town Crier This pleasant enough pub across the road from the station never used to have real ale, but it does now. Decent "chain pub" food.
Last visited August 2023.
Station Road / City Road
Ye Olde Kings Head Inn A couple of decent real ales in this pleasant traditional pub with old beams and a stone fireplace. The menu looks good.
Last visited October 2011.
Lower Bridge Street
Victoria This historic multi-room pub right in the centre is looking rather tatty in places.
Last visited January 2019.
Northgate Street / Watergate Street
Wetherspoon's Bull and Stirrup A busy popular member of the chain, in multiple small rooms plus a large extension at the back.
Last visited January 2019.
George Street / Upper Northgate Street
Wetherspoon's Forest House A number of rooms on two floors in this large converted house, part of the Lloyds No. 1 chain. Good food and good beer as always.
No longer a Wetherspoon pub.
Last visited October 2011.
Love Street
Wetherspoon's Square Bottle Another Wetherspoon branch which was just round the corner from the other one until the Forest House closed. Pleasant traditional decor and the usual quality ales.
Last visited April 2023.
Foregate Street
CREWE
Angel An excellent pint of Oakwell Barnsley Bitter in this pleasant friendly basement bar hidden in a modern shopping precinct. The food looks good.
Last visited September 2007.
Victoria Centre
Brunswick A pleasant traditional pub serving decent real ale.
Last visited July 2016.
Nantwich Road / Longford Street
Borough Arms Wow. What a find! Outside, a plain unassuming street corner boozer; inside, very nicely refurbished three rooms plus a downstairs not visited. At the bar they've got six or more unusual real ales, an impressive array of imported draft beers (e.g. Leffe Blonde, Liefman's Kriek etc. etc.), and a good selection of imported bottles such as Westmalle Tripel and La Trappe Quadrupel. If all that isn't enough to make a beer drinker happy, they still use lined glasses so you get a full pint. MIND THE STEPS!
Last visited October 2021.
Earle Street / Brierley Street
Crown Hotel A selection of Robinson's brews on hand pump in this busy pub.
Last visited September 2007.
Earle Street / Hill Street
Hop Pole A great multi-roomed two bar boozer, in which the lounge side rooms are served via a small counter in the drinking corridor. Goodness, they're a noisy/happy crowd in Crewe on a Saturday evening!
Last visited November 2018.
Wistaston Road / Flag Lane
Hops A rather good attempt at a Belgian-style bar, with the excellent addition of a range of real ales. They have Belgian beers on draft plus a very extensive menu of bottled beers.
Last visited September 2012.
Raven A classic two sided estate boozer dating from the 60s I guess. Very comfortable and well cared for. Excellent real ales, including two of my favourites when I was there.
Last visited October 2021.
Wetherspoon's Gaffer's Row A medium size 'spoon's with modern decor. Now closed.
Last visited May 2012.
Victoria Street
Ye Olde Manor A large very popular place concentrating on food but also offering a small range of quality real ales. The building is an impressive 'manor house', nicely done inside with separate rooms partially knocked through.
Last visited August 2016.
Nantwich Road / Manor Court
ELLESMERE PORT
Station Hotel A rather pleasant friendly pub with slightly quirky decor including wooden, tiled and even glass flooring, and a ceiling covered in road atlas pages in one area. No draught real ales, but a good range of decent bottled beers is available.
Last visited June 2006.
Station Road
Wetherspoon's Wheatsheaf The building is a fine example of late 1950s pub construction, built to serve the housing in the new suburb of Overpool.
Last visited September 2017.
Overpool Road / Woodchurch Lane
FRODSHAM
Bear's Paw A splendid ancient building housing a food-oriented pub which nonetheless serves good real ale, from Greene King and guests.
Last visited May 2019.
Golden Lion A classic Sam Smith's house with a great interior. No cask ale. OBB was two pounds a pint when I visited.
Last visited May 2019.
Helter Skelter A friendly one-room pub serving superb real ale.
Last visited May 2019.
Queen's Head A rather fine multi-roomed pub. The menu looks good, the real ale is good.
Last visited May 2019.
Red Lion A plain locals' boozer, doing well on a Friday afternoon.
Last visited May 2019.
GOYT'S MOSS
Cat & Fiddle A pleasant comfortable looking lounge side and a plain bar full of bikers in this pub after which this route across the hills is named. A disappointing lack of real ale.
Although often described as the highest pub in England I believe it's actually number two. See here for more details.
Last visited April 2000.
On the Macclesfield to Buxton Road
MACCLESFIELD
Bath's Hotel A tiny front bar, and then two or three large rooms furnished like someone's living room, with comfy sofas. The eclectic decor is fun. Surprisingly totally deserted on a sunny Friday afternoon.
Last visited June 2012
 
Waters Green A pleasant traditional pub with a wide range of quality real ales. The food looks good.
Last visited June 2012
 
MOULDSWORTH
Goshawk This large muti-roomed country pub concentrates on the food market, but still serves a fine pint of real ale.
Last visited May 2004
by Mouldsworth Station
NANTWICH
Crown Hotel An antique building containing a pleasant multi roomed pub with a restaurant behind. Very popular on a Sunday afternoon.
Last visited February 2022
High Street
Vine Inn A rather good two sided pub serving food (not tried) and quality real ale.
Last visited February 2022
Hospital Street
Wickstead Arms A multi-roomed pub partly knocked through but retaining separate areas. Quality real ales from Hyde's. Very popular on a Sunday afternoon for dinner and sports. I was pleased to find a wood burning stove in the back room, which is up a few steps from the main part of the pub.
Last visited February 2022
Mill Street / Barker Street
NORTHWICH
Salt Barge This Good Beer Guide listed pub located across the road from the Salt Works Museum serves quality ales and excellent food. Even one of their "Lighter Bites" makes a decent meal!
Last visited March 2018.
PARKGATE
Boat House A nice fake wooden beamed pub serving hand pulled Cains and Tetley. Good food in the bar and restaurant, I'm told.
Last visited June 1999.
The Parade / Boathouse Lane
Old Quay A large family pub, pleasant and busy. Brewer's Fayre food, Charlie Chalk for the kids. The large picture windows offer a fine view across the Dee mudflats in the rain! Only plastic beer.
Last visited June 1999.
The Parade
Red Lion A nice two-sided pub with an amazing collection of cooking utensils, paraffin lamps etc. hanging from the ceiling. A nice view of the Dee estuary from the front window. Hand pulled Tetley, Walker and Ind Coope Burton.
Last visited June 1999.
The Parade
Ship Hotel This large pub has avery nice stone-walled interior. The menu looks good. Jazz Sunday afternoon. Hand pulled beers include Ruddles County, John Smiths, Theakston XB and a guest.
Last visited June 1999.
The Parade
RUNCORN
Lion A plain well cared for traditional two-sided street corner pub, with friendly staff and regulars.
Last visited July 2016.
Greenway Road / Shaw Street
STOCKTON HEATH
Mulberry Tree The rather nice interior decor is an odd mixture of styles. A large open pub but with some seperate areas. Only plastic ale I'm afraid.
Last visited November 2006.
Victoria Square
WARRINGTON
Barley Mow A very old pub with a number of rooms with antique decor (fake, I'm told) and tables outside as well. For some years this guide had complained about a lack of real ale, but in 2007 it was back, and I had a perfect pint of Cain's bitter. In subsequent years a small range of real ales of excellent quality has been available. Service has been slow occasionally. The beer is almost always spot on although quality was very poor on one visit some years ago.
The collapsing tables outside have now been replaced.
Last visited August 2019.
Golden Square
Bar Tempo (Times Square) This modern-styled plastic pub is rather well done.
Last visited July 2005.
Horsemarket Street
Blue Bell A large pub with traditional decor and the usual shelves of bric-a-brac. Disappointed to discover in 2010 that there was no real ale and it seemed to have gone down market. Finally I went back in 2017 and found it was much better, and the real ale was excellent, as it has been on subsequent visits.
Anyone over 6ft tall should take care in the gents!
Last visited August 2019.
Horsemarket Street
Brickmakers Arms This plain two-sided boozer has lots of boxing pictures on the walls. The bitter is keg Tetley's. After a period closed and tinned up, I'm told it re-opened, but the latest report I have (Early 2007) says they've closed again.
Last visited July 2004.
Lythgoes Lane
Bull's Head A multi-roomed pub with an antique interior, serving real ales including Cains and Bombardier when I visited. There's a function room at the back, and beyond is a bowling green and outdoor darts!
Last visited July 2003.
Manchester Road
Friar's Court One large high-ceilinged room with a balcony seating area at one end, deserted early Saturday evening but probably busy later on. LSTV plus lots of small ones. No real ale.
Last visited July 2007.
 
Hop Pole A plain friendly one-room split level pub with a pool table. No real ale.
Last visited July 2010.
Scotland Road
King and Queen Nice antique-style interior in this busy pub serving a fine pint of Bombardier. Bowling green and beer garden at the back.
Last visited July 2004.
King Edward Street / Connaught Avenue
Lord Rodney Nice, mostly fake I think, antique decor in this large ale house knocked through into one room. I had a fine pint of Landlord.
Last visited July 2004.
 
Lower Angel A quiet plain traditional two bar boozer serving an excellent range of real ales.
Last visited August 2011.
Buttermarket Street
Marquis of Granby 2003: No real ale in this multi-roomed pub with an olde worlde interior, looking a little tatty in places.
2011: An excellently redecorated and well looked after interior, and spot on real ales. Friendly locals and helpful staff.
Last visited August 2011.
Manchester Road
Old Town House The real ale was unfortunately off in this up-market restaurant/bar which has a pleasant beer garden at the front.
Last visited July 2003.
Buttermarket Street
Original Wire There's some fine original woodwork and mosaic floor in this very traditional multiroomed pub. When I visited on a Saturday afternoon it was very quiet. Sadly none of the eight hand pumps were operational.
Last visited July 2004.
 
Patten Arms Hotel There is a nice wood-panelled lounge bar with some good leaded glass panels in this hotel. After some years of looking a little threadbare in places it was beautifully tidied up by 2010 and has been well cared for since then. No real ale.
Last visited August 2018.
Parker Street / Museum Street
Porter's Ale House A multi-area boozer with a good choice of real ales.
Last visited July 2013.
Buttermarket Street
Prince of Wales A plain dingy tatty friendly boozer. No real ale.
Last visited July 2010.
Scotland Road
Tavern A plain pleasant multi-area pub with an excellent range of real ales, including some from the nearby 4T's Brewery. Beer yard to the rear.
Last visited August 2011.
Church Street
Ring O Bells Pleasant antique decor in this multi-roomed pub with a nice beer garden out the back. Hand pulled Tetley plus two guest beers.
Last visited July 2004.
Manchester Road / Padgate Lane
Wetherspoon's Friar Penketh A large standard Wetherspoons, with modern styling, and some nice tables on the patio. Famous as the only branch of Wetherspoons where I've ordered a Coke, but this is not a reflection on the quality of their real ales, which are always good.
Last visited August 2019.
Barbauld Street
Wetherspoon's Looking Glass This was formerly a Yates', of which I noted: A typical Yates', what more can I say? You know you're getting old when you ask the barmaid for Aussie White and she's never even heard of it!

In 2010 it became Warrington's second Wetherspoon's branch, nicely decorated including chandeliers, and serving a good range of real ales. The tiny exterior balcony is pleasant in warm weather.
Last visited August 2019.
Scotland Road
White Hart Pleasant decor, wood panelling and a stone floor, in this large multi-roomed pub. There are also some function rooms upstairs. The hand pulled ales are of intermittent quality, I'm afraid, and I've even had poor quality keg bitter here!
Last visited August 2018.
Sankey Street / Golborne Street
WINSFORD
Brighton Belle Inn A nice, totally fake I think, antique interior with wooden beams and rough plaster and bare brick walls. The food, typical pub fare (steak, gammon, fish and chips etc.) is pretty good, and quickly served. Burtonwood and a guest on hand pump.
Last visited July 2002.
 

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