My local — a very well run pub with a great atmosphere, highly recommended.
Kathryn C.
Place rating: 4 Bristol, United Kingdom
I stayed on Worral Road for a month when I first came to Bristol and developed a deep fondness for the Red Lion. Its first and foremost a proper locals pub. It really does feel like somebody just built a pub in their house and has a friendly atmosphere. My husband was less keen on it as he felt everybody was probably listening to your conversation. And they probably were, if you aren’t a regular I imagine you provide interest to the locals that do. In winter they do a fantastic mulled cider, almost makes me wish for the winter cold just so it was time for mulled cider again. And they have pork scratchings… yum, pig fat! Nothing quite like a cider and pork scratchings combo(except for maybe a cider, pork scratching followed by pie combo). It also has a little ante room which is great if you want to sit with a few friends and play a board game or the like.
Lisa B.
Place rating: 3 Bristol, United Kingdom
The Red Lion is hidden from the Whiteladies student mob, just off on a side street. It’s a local pub, but the kind you’ll feel welcome in as long as you don’t stumble in and ask for a turbo shandy. It becomes quite a lively pub of a weekend, with a couple of bars of real ales and ciders at decent prices and the ever popular comfy sofa area. Definitely worth a try if you’re getting fed up with the standard strip of chain style bars on Whiteladies road, what a fantastic local!
Will P.
Place rating: 4 Bristol, United Kingdom
Any pub with more than two ciders on tap gets the thumbs up from me, so my review of the Red Lion might be a little biased. A lovely place, the flag stones give it a nice rustic feel. Not being on the high street means it’s sheltered from too much passing trade and you can sense some satisfaction from those that have managed to find the place. Nice sofas and lots of cider are pretty much a lethal combination when it comes to me and pubs. The Red Lion’s got both, making it very easy to find an excuse(e.g. «it’s raining», «I just got paid», «I’m tired») to stay here for a couple more than you intended. Come for the quiz night to give yourself a distraction whilst fall into a cider trap. I should add that they do sell stuff apart from cider.
Melanie M.
Place rating: 3 Bristol, United Kingdom
This used to be my local and I sometimes miss its down to earth style. It never seemed like a Clifton pub, more a local village boozer just off of Durdham Downs. You step onto flagstone floors and may well be greeted by a dog. There are two bars so you’ll be spoilt for choice, especially with the selection of real ales and ciders on offer — Addlestones, Thatchers, Bath Spa, Courage and Fuller’s. You can see why its so popular with local residents and students(and me!). Hops hang from the ceiling in a rustic manner and there are some damn fine sofas to sink into at the back of the room. Events include: footie games on the telly, a Thursday quiz night and a few live bands blasting their sound around the small bar area.
Pubkin
Place rating: 3 Bristol, United Kingdom
The red lion is a nice enough pub just off the beaten track that is whiteladies road. It is opposite st Johns primary school so it can get manic outside it during certain times of the day. The bar is nice enough the two main features being the hops decorating the upper walls and the stone floor through out. The beer on tap is pretty good, bath ales spa being the best of the bunch. The fantastic thing about this place is the quiz night. It’s not especially difficult but they hand out free food. Sausages chips and rolls are the normal fare and after a few beers you won’t care at how fatty it is. If you don’t like pubs that are just pubs, ie no pool, fruit machines, tapas menu etc I wouldn’t recommend you come here. If it wasnt’ for the quiz this place would be two star but free food goes a long loooooong way in my opinion so 3 stars it is.
