Shakespeare Tavern in Bristol, City of

An excellent proper pub with really good cask ales.

Its the oldest pub in Bristol . A great placd for a pint and a bit of lunch . Ask for Lisa .

Great pint and lovely place to sit while watching the world go by!

Fantastic Pub great atmosphere, Lisa’s service was phenomenal, a credit the business. Would drink/dine again!

Great atmosphere and easy going feel, staff friendly and efficient with a good choice of 🍺. Food is good and specials always of interest, scored 4 as it's a pub chain menu, would have been a 3 without specials. Wednesday quiz is always a fun night

was served by Victoria and Rosie, lovely staff with great knowledge of gins

Best Scotch Egg I ever had. Made with Wild Boar. Good WIFI and nice selection of Cask Ales. Nice staff. Pork scratchings served as well. Cosy and not the last time I'm here

Very nice pub, friendly staff, excellent beer served on pump!

Went in today with my partner and had a lovely chat with Lisa and Reagan. They were both so friendly and hospitable, will definitely be going back soon!!

Always receive amazing service here, specifically we saw Nick who welcomed us as we walked through the door, conversed with us and used his knowledge to assist us perfect! Amazing place and staff!

Thanks to the gorgeous blonde behind the bar x

An absolutely lovely establishment, amazing service, drinks and food! Beautiful inside - came for lunch on a Wednesday, the place was so relaxing!

Lovely pub with amazing and friendly staff, great food and drink choices and beautiful atmosphere. A go to for every wine Wednesday!!

Enjoyed a lovely lunch here today. Nicely cooked and good portions and not just chips and microwave food. Service was friendly, quick and professional. Used the tables at the rear of the pub .

Great service, excellent food and drink, and brilliant service. They do excellent events such as the Wednesday pub quiz, really great pub to visit!

Such a cute pub and the barmaid called ella was brilliant! Highly recommend

Me and my wife were thirsty, and boy did this place satisfy us both!

The best pub in the centre of Bristol. A great selection of beers, excellent menu, very good service. It's a fantastic historical venue, just off the harbourside - and reputedly the oldest pub in the city. We'll worth a visit.

Came in here for some pub grub, fish and chips was lovely. Great traditional pub with a great selection of Ales, and an actual open fireplace! Amazing time, would recommend to family and friends :)

The guy ignored us for the 30 mins we were there. He served every table around us and then played on his phone. The place seemed fine but will not go back if the same bartender is there.

We just left. Today is a normal monday lunch time, so it was almost emty. We sat down, read the menu while the bar tender was serving other table. We closed our menus waiting to be attended but he never came. Other table next to us sat down afterwords and they were served inmediatly. He even asked other tables next to us if all was ok and in they needed something else. After that he walked by next to us ignoning us for 30 min. We raised our hand to let him know we were waiting but he ignored us.We thought he might be bussy but after seing him playing with his phone while standing in the bar we realiced he would never come to ask for our order. Finally, tired of waiting and being activly ignored we left. Before leaving we told him " thank you so much for ignoring us" and he answered with a "thank you". Worst service ever.

Nice location l, great service terrible roast potatoes.

Great boozer, with a genuine mixed clientele and good range of beers on tap. Haven’t eaten here for years but always used to be solid big portion pub grub. When i met a friend here on a wet January Saturday the place was buzzing and we sat upstairs ( who knew there was an upstairs?!) in a room they apparently opened during covid. They’ve got board games ( giant Jenga was a BIT annoying to have to sit by) and service was perfunctory if a little chilly.

Amazing staff in this venue and great beer. The only issue I had was the lack of seating, but given I was there at a busy time, then that's understandable.

Proper old city pub. Was very quiet on a Sunday night but beer was cold and welcome was warm!

Met here for a family gathering, lovely atmosphere. The Scotch eggs and Halloumi fries were to die for. Thank you for a great evening!

Me n my sisters were visiting Bristol to see family. We found it was central for all to meet. Food was Lush and service was fantastic. Friendly and cozy place to chill, relax and catch up. We spent most of our visit in room upstairs, It was nice to see people interact with games it was a great atmosphere.

Great pub with a good range of pint selection. Every time i've visited theres always a good atmosphere especially when the pub quiz is on. For a quick pint couldn't recommend enough!

Incredible pub, the guy who does the pub quiz is great, crisps and chips are lovely, and the pints are affordable and delicious. Could not recommend more. SHAKESPEARE FOR LIFE

Overall experience positive. Staff friendly and accommodating. Quality of food a little disappointing.

What a wonderful pub and even better staff. Thank you Lisa and Rosie!

Beautiful place with a great atmosphere and good beers. The staff are great particularly Lisa who is a ray of sunshine in an otherwise cloudy sky!!!

The Shakespeare offers a cozy atmosphere, excellent drinks, and tasty food. The staff are friendly, and the menu has something for everyone. A perfect spot for a casual drink or meal. Highly recommend!

Visited this place again over Christmas for a few drinks with friends the place was very busy out service was fast and efficient and the whole place had a very warm Christmassy feel with it being all dressed up. Absolutely wonderful.

I recently visited the Shakespeare Tavern on a Saturday afternoon and was really impressed with the service. Lisa and Nick were both attentive, friendly, and made sure everything ran smoothly. They created a welcoming atmosphere that made the visit really enjoyable. It’s clear that they care about providing excellent service, and I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in the area!"

Lovely little old pub. It has 6 cask ales on at all times and not just the usual Greene King beers you'd expect, really good mix from across the country. The food was tasty and well presented, nice to have some options for vegans. Went for the quiz on Wednesday, absolutely awesome! We didn't win but it's about taking part...right??

Lovely pub. Very nicely decorated. Came for a meal and a drink. Staff are friendly and chatty. Will definitely be back

Great service with fantastic choice of ales. Would definitely recommend if you love real ales

Come here every Sunday and Monday evening. Lisa Rosie and Victoria are always great behind the bar. Lovely pub with a great selection of beers

Sat at a table with my 2 friends after asking if it's OK. 40 min. later a member of staff came and said the table is now reserved and we have to move elsewhere within 30 min. 20 min. later we were asked to move as the other customers came earlier than expected. We decided to leave and not come back again. Very rude service and impossible to ask us to move places once we took an unreserved table. Edit as a reply to owners/managers reply: It was not these days. It was on the 20th of December. The plan was to meet my friends and have plenty of drinks during the evening. Unfortunately, we were asked to move when we specifically asked if it's alright to use this exact table during the whole evening. It was at the ground floor, opposite the back bar. First table on the right as you go in. Once people take a seat at an unreserved table, in a pub, you should not be pushing them around the pub. Even if it was a restaurant, I would accept a 3 hour use as a minimum.

Quite a lovely time here with my me and my grandchildren they were able to play some board games and I had a lovely half. It was a really great traditional pub experience.

The pub is beautifully decorated for Christmas - every corner had a nice festive touch. The staff were absolutely lovely, friendly, and attentive. The food was excellent as well. The menu had a great selection, with hearty pub classics and some festive specials that were perfect for the season. Overall, this pub is a must-visit during the holiday season. Great food, wonderful staff, and a beautifully festive atmosphere. Highly recommend!

very lovely place, super nice service and the best sunday roast, definitely go here if you wanna have a good time

This is a great pub. Always a friendly welcome and great service. Fab choice of drinks and food and I always enjoy my visits.

The recent review is spot on -- service is a wildcard. The atmosphere was so cozy, I could only recommend this place for grabbing a beer. I'm sure under that expectation, the experience is perfect. Especially for Christmas it was so charming in there. However, the service for food was nonexistent. I went around 8 pm, and without getting lost in a rant, the staff did not do the bare minimum basic steps of service (did not provide menus, water, tableware etc.) for a restaurant while simultaneously just shooting the breeze in a group behind the bar. 25 minutes later I left to go elsewhere. Would only come back for a beer and atmosphere.

Love it here, service is always bang on, great selection of drinks and the food is lovely

great place for food and real ale! Was really nice!

Beautiful place great atmosphere really welcoming

Great place to catch-up with friends and family 🥂✊🏼🙏

On a day out with friends, we called in to this pub and sampled two stouts. The chocolate vanilla stout was superb, an excellent balance of flavour with a a nice long finish. We awarded it the Eastern Welsh Travel beer of the day out of eight we sampled around the city.

Lovely old pub, good quality food.

Booked an online table for a first time visit. Downstairs the pub is cozy and comfortable. Barstaff kind and you get a good service. Plenty of different beers on tqp. Upstairs dining room well decorated and comfortable. It might feel like you're at your grandparents though ;) Christmas crackers on the table and the service came with a smile. The fish&chips tasted great and desert was yummy!!! We had a great time and will definitely return for food and drinks! :)

Very Christmassy. Very good service. Not that many seats but that's just the way it is. Seating outside the front that could be more useable if it had patio heaters

Splendid pub, Guinness on point, I will be back

Lovely pub with super friendly staff that are very attentive. Good range of drinks and food. Great place to stop for a drink if in Bristol!

Cozy pub right in the centre of Bristol, excellent beer selection and top shelf variety. Recommended.

Cosy. To be honest after a few visits over a week it is hit or miss based on staff and what’s happening re bookings (and this is nothing that the tavern can control but interesting to see “reservations on all tables” but not occupied and reactions when community enters). Top floor seems to be guaranteed offering of tables up stairs (careful vertigo). We ate the pie and fish N chips both amazing. Fries v chips a difference, note to self pay attention. Love the celebration of Christmas. All round a fan but beware of nuances.

Really cool, cozy pub with an incredibly interesting history.

Had a great night. We only popped in a for a couple but the staff were so friendly and the curry options looked so good we decided to stay. The food was excellent thoroughly recommend it.

a warm and welcoming pub, with friendly staff, great tap selection and lovely food. would definitely recommend!

We popped in for a pint, unbelievably even though I've lived in Bristol 30+ years, this was my first visit. The bar staff were friendly, the beer was good and the atmosphere was relaxed. We'll be back.

We popped into The Shakespeare on Saturday night after reserving a table for two. A very atmospheric 18th century historic pub, one can imagine sailors in the past rolling in from their ships docking nearby. A genuine English pub, friendly staff and good food. Would certainly recommend to anyone wanting a meal for a reasonable price.

A real pub in downtown Bristol... A great place to relax over a nice pint

Loved the wednesday pub quiz despite not doing so well

went with my papa, this place is so cosy and just full of vibes; it was a little bit cold but the service was really good and the food came fast and tasted really good. the only thing i'd say is the pastry was a bit heavy but the rest of the food slapped so good, the meat and sauce was rich and delicious, we both had the steak pie 🥧

Very chilled out pub. Keep a good pint. Reasonable prices, staff friendly, great place

Lisa gives the best cuddles in Bristol.... End of!!!!

Great beer, great food, great service. In summary: just great!

The food at the shakespeare is lovely and drinks even better! The experience made even better by the lovely staff who are always happy to help give their recommendations on the cask ales or are hosting their amazing pub quiz on wednesdays! Thanks Shakespeare team I will be back!

Couldn’t knock any of it food spot on, very welcoming and compliments to the bar maid Kayleigh alway had service with a smile 💪

Great pub with good range of beers,particularly like the Windrush exhibition upstairs

Good beer good food and great staff, can't remember the barman's name but the running squid joke for the evening was great 🐙

Great pub Suggested by our grandson whose at uni & we had the evening free before flying out of Bristol Airport Food is excellent all prepared by Christina (we had an issue they had ran out of the item we had ordered and she came out and explained the situation great customer service) Staff were great ready to help and very friendly The reason for the missing star Interior needs some love & attention But we will be back next time we're up

Came here the other Thursday night for food and drinks with my work colleagues. We were originally sat out the back but not enough room for 5 of us so we moved to the front of the pub. The food was sooo good. We all really enjoyed it....nachos and halloumi to start with (absolutely divine!) Then we had burgers or the pie. Staff (ladies) were brilliant sorry I've forgotten your names. Prosecco was really good .... no Prosecco glasses though ie we had to drink out of wine glasses. Toilets not great but we were told they are being refurbished early next year. Whilst a chain pub it had lots of character and a great location. Would definitely go back. Thank you!

Super beautiful place. A unique atmosphere. It's good that they appreciate history and listed all the owners of the tenement house since the 18th century.

Came here with my partner for dinner. Staff was friendly, great selection of ales, a wide range of food with specials on the boards. Will definitely come agian

Came her as a group of 5. Food on par and good job we booked a table as it was busy. Excellent customer service. A special shout out to the lovely Lisa who kept us in laughs when putting in orders and food to table. Well done everyone 👏

classic pub, but they’ve misspelt one of their signs inside which is just quite silly for a place named as it is

Great atmosphere, friendly bar staff. Good quality green King ales!

Came in Friday night for a few drinks with work. The bar staff were such fun, really attentive and nothing was too much trouble. Lisa and Sam are a credit to Greeneking

Just went for a drink to get out of the rain and it was a lovely pub with lovely staff and good range of beers

Steak and ale pie was wicked. I would definitely come here again.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time here. You can clearly see they want to serve good food and care about your opinion. Try it ❤️

I have been in a couple of times before and the service has always been good but recently went in and was served by Lisa and had the best service ever - so friendly and welcoming, she treated me and others like it was our local and she’d known us forever- absolutely the best customer service and I will be in more often because of her! Thank you so much for the beautiful service! 🤍

Absolute little gem... The atmosphere was buzzing, the staff chatty and friendly and the food was brilliant and good value for money. We went back the next day for the Sunday roast and wow it was amazing, even though we were at the end of service it was fresh, hot and the portions were huge.. wish they were nearer to my home 😌

Very nice bar but very noisy children

£8.15 for a pint of Shakespeare bitter and half a cider. The beer was OK, not great though, so definitely not good value. Lovely building, but there are so many better pubs around. The visit confirmed what I already thought about Greene King pubs. I wont be making that mistake again.

Often come when in Bristol. Always like it.

Went for a family meal today. First time we have been to this pub and chose it because of the reviews and location. A lovely pub serving great food. Friendly staff to. Will be my regular go to place when visiting Bristol.

Lovely pie and really lovely mash beef burger great to home made chios lots of dri ks and also the oldest pub in bristol too

A bit of a long wait on a Friday evening, but the Steak & Ale pie & mash was excellent!

Hadn't been in the Shakespeare for some years but popped in yesterday as it was my birthday. This is a proper pub with attentive staff and there's a good atmosphere. We didn't eat but glad to see it hasn't changed much over the years.

You know when you meet up with friends and look to each to find a pub to go to...well let me save you time and effort...go here!.. good beer, great location. Good place to watch the world go by..oh ..I saw a man cycling with a dog Sat in his back pack.. hilarious

Nice and very friendly staff, well prepared and tasty dishes, I highly recommend the Duck Hash dish.

Love this pub, great atmosphere and food. Lisa also always provides exceptional service and is a joy to be served by!

Visited Monday, grace and lisa were superb, and a great laugh

Amazing place to drink all the vodkas

Visited Saturday night, great fun- couple of large groups who were well behaved, I think this was down to the 3 staff behind the bar. Their joy and professionalism made the atmosphere fun in what is a proper boozer.

Came in Saturday night with friends, nice to see a proper boozer alive and well. The three ladies behind the bar,I think Lisa Grace and Victoria ,were great fun and the laughter could be heard for miles.

Visited Saturday night with family. The staff were so friendly and were clearly knowledgeable about the products. Also knew exactly where to direct us for live music. A credit to the pub all three.