The Shakespeare Tavern

The Shakespeare Tavern is a proper boozer just off the centre of Bristol and just at the back of the waterfront. It couldn’t be much more different to the other pubs/​bars that it’s close to.
You can tell from the outside exactly what it’ll be like inside; a traditional English, old mans pub. It is actually a really refreshing pub to go and hide away from the horribleness of the waterfront on a Friday or Saturday night.
I went on Saturday night for the first time in well over a year. I’d been drinking wine with a meal before hand, so deiced to stick to that; £8 a bottle! Boom!
Drinks wise you’ll find your bog standard draught lagers, ciders and ales and the usual top shelf suspects. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Apart from a few of the punters — eeeek! Don’t make eye contact! If they have eyes, that is!
With pub going out of business left right and centre, I can’t see this one any time soon. It’s serves it’s purpose well!

Great looking pub, excellent selection of beers and ciders. Small enough to be cosy, but big enough to move. Always busy though, so get there early if you want to sit down.
The only downside is that, because of its size, if you end up near a group of unpleasant blokes (usually always older men too) you’re stuck with them and may have to leave to get some peace.
Good selection of board games too.

Really enjoy this pub, and the ales are well kept. Normally a welcoming atmosphere, and one of the only reall pubs left in the center of Bristol.

This is a grand old pub that’s been around for nearly three centuries, and with Shakespeare in the name you could expect something special and historical and you would be right. The location is an attraction in itself, being situated on Bristol’s harbour side right by the water, so there are beautiful views especially in the summer months.
The old Georgian building is massive, and looks very grand and pretty spectacular from the outside, and on the inside they have some old paintings and historical information to keep you entertained whilst you enjoy a drink or two, or even some lunch. Price wise it’s fairly standard, not particularly cheap but on par with other surrounding pubs in this area. I haven’t personally eaten here before, but their menu also looked very appetising and very reasonably priced — they do home made burgers which look lush and they’re only around £6, so I’d like to come back and try these out.
Like other good pubs they also put on some weekly nights including curry night, quiz night, pie night, and a Sunday roast — so check these out if you’re after trying something new in a great venue!

A perfect place for a pre gig drink if you are heading to the Thekla or the Louisiana. The Shakespeare is set up some steps by the floating bridge so grab a window seat and it is a great place to watch the world go by. It’s quite a small pub but for some baffling reason, despite it always seeming busy, I have never struggled to get a seat in here. As with most Bristol pubs they serve good local ciders but the best bit is the food. Pieminister, mash, peas and gravy is a must on a cold winter or autumnal day. And if that day is a Wednesday you get a free drink with said meal! Bargain. This is one of those pubs which makes you feel warm and lovely inside when the nights are cold, dark and long, less so in the summer but still well worth a pre-​gig visit.

This Greene King pub serves a good pint of Abbot Ale, and has two regular guest ales on tap. There’s chocolate and pickled eggs behind the bar as well as a wide range of crisps.
The service is friendly but not overbearing, and the customers range from the very-​regulars to end-​of-​day office workers.
Don’t be surprised if you can’t find a seat on a Friday night after 5, as it gets packed quickly on a weekend. However once you’ve found that seat you can happily settle down to a game of mini Jenga for the rest of the evening, so make sure you keep that seat.
It has a food menu but that’s not really the reason you should go to the Shakespeare.