The Druids Arms

This review is a bit late in coming as I think we tried to go here on a Sunday during the New Years season for a Sunday lunch, but quickly left after we saw that in the south room, there was a hoard of at least a dozen flies buzzing about the ceiling — maybe spilled alcohol (from a glass or a stomach…) was not cleaned up promptly enough and attracted them, but we’ve never been back since. I guess half a year isn’t enough to assuage the squick factor that has kept me away.

Main draw is its almost day-​long happy hour (around a quid off all evening until 10.00pm on weekdays on at least one cider, lager and ale). Also a friendly, open-​plan atmosphere makes for a pleasantly social evening (unless you’re seeking somewhere more private and discreet of course), generally studenty (and certainly non-​threatening) clientele and very reasonable house wine. Friendly staff too. Quiz nights are entertaining (and definitely don’t take themselves too seriously) if you like that kind of thing, and the location is pretty good, being quiet yet accessible. They do reasonably priced Thai food which is ok but nothing special (no fresh coriander on my last THREE visits — sorry chaps, but you lose a star straight away for that — it’s Thai for godsake, coriander is pretty fundamental) so if looking to eat, you’d be better at one of the several specialist restaurants within ten minutes walk. But for a couple of pints after work, it’s friendly (dog-​friendly too), handily close to London Rd market as well as the Level etc, has a decent outside area which is obviously more fun in the summer, and generally seems to be making a real effort to fight the noticeable malaise found in many local pubs in terms of service and price. Keep it up guys. Just ask the Thai chef to get some fresh coriander in, eh?

The Druids Arms must one of the premium Sunday lunch venues in the city. These are roasts a step above most of the competition. All the meats are excellent and you can upgrade to duck breast or lamb shank for a few extra pennies. They also offer a cheap drink to go along with your food including beer, cider or a pint of soft drink. What I really like about the roasts though is the little attention to detail. Every veg has it’s own addition be that a specific herb or spice or a sauce.
Aside from the glory of the Sunday roast, it’s also a pretty good venue at other times and they regularly have DJ’s on the weekend. Being located where it is, it becomes an excellent place to start up your night and rendezvous with your friends. It would have been nice to see a garden, but you get a few benches within view of the level in compensation.
The staff are chilled and the kitchen staff will bring down your food which is always a good thing in my opinion. Basically, a pub done well with enough to make you return after a visit in the not too distant future.

During the snowy spell before Christmas 2009 I was mulling over a post-​shopping pint of chocolate ale in The Druids Arms, when a band of wiccans burst through the doors, bellowing ye olde English verse, scuffling and brawling like pissed wizards.
With a name like The Druids you might expect some kind of wizard society watering hole, but sadly this interruption was actually part of a Christmas pub-​crawl by a crew of actors. Merry times were had then, and whenever else I have visited. The place is big enough for live music and DJs at the front, and the Thai kitchen is damn good. Look at the ceiling and you’ll see hundreds of origami cranes and birds, and they’re happy to receive more. Drinks-​wise it’s your usual split between lager, ale and cider, and like most places in Brighton, they do a good shot of tuacca on the cheap.

The Druid’s is a Brighton classic, serving excellent food and perfectly OK drinks for perfectly OK prices. It’s really nothing special, and it’s lack of garden (they have a smoking alley, but it really isn’t the same thing) also lowers it in my estimation, although I am a big fan of their lovely roasts. The Druid’s selling point, in my mind, has always been its location at the top western corner of The Level. Nice and close to town, and perfectly situated if you’re going up London or Lewes Road.
It’s not like the location saves the pub though: there are nicer places a hop, skip and a jump away, and the problem here is more lots of little niggling details. The lack of a smoking garden sits heavily, the drinks are a bit pricier than you’d think they should be, and the selection isn’t anything too enterprising. The only piece of originality here is the Thai menu, and it’s nothing special. I’d rather have the roasts every day!
No, the Druid’s is nothing special, but it is a Brighton classic. It used to be more of a student dive, but they seem to have slowly been phased out, maybe by the higher prices. A nice enough place for a drink: if you’re in the area, give it a try!

The druids is not amazing but it has character and is a fine place to for a few drinks and food if you’re in the mood for Thai! It’s cosy and friendly with a laid back atmosphere and the staff are always friendly. They occasionally have live music playing and open mic nights which can be interesting. It’s actually a gay pub so a great place to go for a relaxing drink in the hope of attracting someone of the same sex (to be honest that’s not exactly difficult in Brighton).
I went here a few times for an afternoon drink in the summer as there are a few benches to sit on out the front, however it is right by the road so it’s not the most pleasant view, despite having the level on the other side of the road. I also went here around Christmas time where they had a creative card and decoration-​making occasion and supplied each table with colourful card and paper, pens, glue and ribbon. It was a lovely way to start feeling Christmassy! I also tried some of the Thai food, I just had some chicken skewers and pawn crackers and my boyfriend had a curry. We both thought the food was actually pretty delicious which surprised me as at first glance this pub doesn’t seem to be anything special. Overall I’d recommend it for a few drinks in the afternoon or for a couple of quiet drinks in the evening. Try some Thai food if you’re hungry, sit back and enjoy the blasé and friendly atmosphere.

This is a very popular little pub, nesteld just off of London Road. Thankfully for the patrons of The Druids Arms, it sits in a position that means you can’t actually see London Road.
Thie pub is particularly popular with students, largely because of it’s relaxed atmosphere and cheap drink offers. The ‘Druids’ is open later that most pubs, often still serving at 2am on the weekends.
You can also get a good meal here, they have an authentic and decent quality Thai kitchen, staying open until late as well.

Great Thai food, and cheap drink for most of the day, what more could anyone want?
Friendly staff, good music, most nights some good Djs.
Without wanting to sound like Paul Calf, can be a bit over run with students at times, especially when theyre craming the bar searching through theyre little wallets, looking for coppers to pay for half a pint… bag of shite…

Traditional pub just opposite from The Level, the druids has recently had a slight transformation, with a newly added Thai food menu I would recommend the very tasty soups (Tom-​Yum and Tom Kha) and the top end spicy jungle curry. There is happy hour until 10pm with Amstel at £2.40 a pint and the deadly Bushels cider, which comes in a 6% but increases in percentage when it’s the near the bottom of the barrel, is also very good. The ceiling is covered with origami cranes and scorpions made from hubcaps. The barstaff mistakenly heard us singing happy birthday and provided and tray of coconut rum shots, but who complains about or corrects such a gift?

This is one of those pubs that you need to know is there to visit, and that is no bad thing. The exterior is covered in ‘arty’ graffiti, and the windows are full of cacti and other strange plants. This can mean that it seems intimidating from outside — one of those pubs you’re nervous about entering in case you find a place full of staring locals. It is far from that, being very friendly and serving a trendy local and student clientele without ever feeling pretentious.
A lot of effort is put into making the place different from its competitors, with some quirky metal sculptures on the ceililng inspiring many a drunk conversation. When I was last there, they had an initative to encourage people to make origami birds which were hung from the ceiling — in a Japanese tradition for good luck. Another ‘unusual’ feature is its ‘smokers alley’ — this is literally an alleyway for smokers to puff away among the beer barrels out back!
With music nights and drinks deals, this is a great place to share a drink with friends and chat to the ever friendly staff.

This pub is a firm favourite with me, I’ve been drinking in the Druids for years. There’s nothing particularly fancy-​pants about the décor or the vibe here; simple wooden furniture and a distinctly studenty clientele. There are some really random metal sculptures on the ceiling, which I’ve never quite figured out… speculate away!
Smokers be warned: the smoking ‘area’ feels as if you’ve been shoved in a hot-​boxed cupboard out the back, so I would recommend smoking out front!
Prices aren’t inflated– they do a great happy hour until 10pm, a bottle of house wine is only £8! Can’t argue with that (well I can’t anyway, which is why you’ll find me in here so often)! They also serve surprisingly yummy thai food, the mixed starters are great, with veggie and meat options, you can enjoy a medley of spring rolls, thai fish cakes and filo prawns for around £6−7. The corn cakes in the veggie option are especially good.

The Druid Arms is a charmingly quirky pub situated along Ditchling Road, which features some really striking artwork and interior décor. Inside you’ll find good service, an ok selection of beers and ales, a nice, relaxed atmosphere, and, rather bizarrely, what has been billed as the ‘best Thai food in town’. Open till late, with regular live music, a good sunday roast, and a happy hour till 10pm every day, the Druid Arms certainly has enough up its sleeve to make it a Brighton pub worthy of visiting.

There are some bizarre sculptures that adorn the ceiling of The Druids: car hubcaps in the shape of sea creatures. I have absolutely no idea what this has to do with druids, but I think they’re quite quirky. The Druids certainly has its quirks including the punters (and their dogs) and the bizarre antics of the open-​mic night on a Thursday, but these are all part and parcel of its charm. There is an upbeat and lively atmosphere free from mad moods and aggression. If you live near to the Level/​London Road then do check it out — it has «local» written all over it.

Hello thanks for looking at my review!!!
The Druid Arms!!! Well it is a really cool place just outside the London Road market. The pub has a selection of David Bowie or Rolling Stones, etc. the atmosphere is really calm and relaxed which is essential to any wishing to have a consversation, or a just a good drink. Now on to the food, the theme of the food is THAI which is intersting and wonderfull for anyone wishing to relive the back packing days, so this is the place to come to. the staff are friendly and have a really want you to enjoy! what they have to offer.
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This is a good pub. They have a good selection of beers and ales, the staff are lovely and the place is decorated with really cool artwork. Although it does get a bit too studenty in there. So if you, like me, have an aversion to the distinct smell and noisiness of students then I suggest you don’t go there during term time.

Although its a bit dingy and studenty looking and not the most obvious place to go for a pint, the Druids is a really nice place to go. The Sunday pub lunch is fantastic and the music is always good. I have been there so many times and always had a sociable evening.

Very much a locals pub. A bit dark inside. The seating isn’t great. I really don’t know if I like this venue or not. Wouldn’t try the food. Yet again don’t know why! It has Harveys so good for the Real ale drinker. Bit of the beaten track really. Can be noisy as well. But give it a try.

First, why’s this pub categorised as a café? Anyway, whatever. (This place shouldn’t be confused with the Druids Head pub in the Lanes.)
I do like this place even though I’ve only been here 5 or 6 times. They usually have a small range of real ales — when I was last here they had Summer Lightning (£2.90, it was fine) and Harveys.
Never tried the food, though it looks quite acceptable.
There are lizards on the ceiling made out of hubcaps, just like in the Hop Poles in Middle Street.
Gents’ toilets are OK for a pub. They have free wi-​fi (you know, I wonder if more pubs in central Brighton now have free wi-​fi than those that don’t).
Good view over the Level.

This is a brilliant no-​nonsense kind of pub not much bigger than a living room. The bar staff are always really friendly and it’s a nice place to go and catch up. Occasionally there might be a dude with a couple of decks in the corner, but this isn’t a get up and dance kind of place. There’s benches on the pavement with a nice view of the traffic, or smoker’s alley out the back. The menu is pretty reasonable and the free wifi is a real bonus. I guess you could say it’s got quite a studenty vibe to it, which is fine by me