The Clarence Social in Cheltenham

What a hidden gem of a place. We happened upon the bar on a weekend visit to Cheltenham for the wife’s birthday. It was happy hour so we had a beer and a G&T with the round costing just £8 Initially we were just going to have a drink, but looking at the Tapas menu we chose 3 for £10 plus one extra. Tapas were brought out staggered not all at once which is great. The potatas bravas was as good as any we had in Madrid. Lovely staff and the bar had a lovely decor / ambience. Recommended and defo somewhere we’ll go back to on our next visit to Cheltenham

Wonderful bar in great location in town. Staff are attentive and keen to give you a great experience, it always feels welcoming and relaxed. It has a great variety of gins, rums, whiskies and the cocktails are always on point. The food is also excellent - high quality small dishes to accompany your drinks and they’re always changing to be in season. Yum! Defo recommend 👍🏽

Popped into this little gem while in Cheltenham. Had the £10 steak! Cooked perfect. Service was fab, the girls there really make you feel welcomed. Atmosphere was really chilled and a great vibe. Definitely one to recommend, will definitely be back. Thank you 🦩

Went and tried the new menu last night, food drinks and service was brilliant. Will 100% be returning.

4 of us went for drinks to celebrate mine and my sister's 30th. My glass of prosecco was flat so we asked the lady at the bar for a fresh one. She replied fairly rudely that it was from a fresh bottle, but gave us a new one nonetheless. My partner's rum and coke had flat coke in; my brother in law's pint was flat and my sister's cocktail was pretty much non existent of any drink apart from a lot of ice. After the initial response about the prosecco we didn't feel like we could say anything about the other drinks. For an expensive place we were very disappointed and would not go back.

Didn't eat, but a nice place for a drink. Good atmosphere.

Could have done with draught beer being sold down in the lower floor

I had such a great night out, here. Fun and friendly atmosphere, and great music.

Walked in at 16.30 on a Saturday afternoon and there was a large table of 10 women and one other table.. there were two girls on the bar busy with drinks.. for the time my husband went to to toilet and back neither had looked on my direction, said hello or even acknowledged I existed.. We left! On doing so my husband mentioned it was disappointing that someone can wait 5 mins and no one acknowledge them.: the bar lady said it was 2 minutes (he’s quick to the loo but not that quick) he mentioned this goes to show they knew I was there but they chose to ignore me. She then pulled a cocky arrogant little smirk.. a roundup of the whole experience. Won’t go back, quite frankly in a place like Cheltenham why waste your money on poor service and arrogant attitudes when there are so many other lovely places.

Such a great place to hire for a party! We had the upstairs bar for a joint birthday party and dj was so good, all the hosts so attentive, and great food and drink as well as our own bar which was perfect

I organised a surprise birthday for my sister at The Clarence Social and it was brilliant! Such a great venue, lovely staff and the food was delicious with loads of choice. When organising the party, the team recommended and helped us book a DJ and let us in early to decorate. Nothing was too much trouble. It's a great place to celebrate, I would thoroughly recommend!

Great venue for cocktails, do live music on a Friday which is good and been in ‘secret’ bar in the basement which is really nice, also been to upstairs for a private event which is good large space Only crit is the bathrooms are unisex which means not always as clean as you’d expect Generally classy venue and friendly & fast staff

Booked bottomless brunch for a friends birthday and initially the experience was very positive. The place is stunning and the staff were super friendly and sat us down quite quickly. The food arrived and was so beautiful and yummy. After the second round of drinks, the waitress accidentally spilt a round of drinks all over me and the floor. She was apologetic and I said it was all fine and got myself cleaned up and carried on the night. At the end when the bill came, no attempt to compensate for the earlier incident was made until one of my party went up to complain. To this the bar staff got the manager who just gave an email address and said to send the dry cleaning bill to them and they will pay it back. I thought it was a bit bad service from them as there should have been some form of compensation without us having to ask for it. Unfortunately this has marred the experience and my friends birthday treat.

Great place. Prices are reasonable. Great atmosphere on a Saturday night with a good DJ. Enjoyed our time there, as it was very busy and bar staff were very accommodating.

I booked my birthday party here about 7 months before and had the party in January in the upstairs area. Honestly it was the most seamless and stress free process ever! I’ve organised parties before and had things go wrong/ had to endlessly chase but the team at Clarence were honestly amazing. They were so laid back, responsive and reliable. Everything went as planned with very little input from me except what I wanted and when. The food was delicious, the service was attentive and friendly and the space was gorgeous. I had the BEST time and would highly recommend this venue to anyone wanting to celebrate with friends and family.

One of the better bars in Cheltenham! Attracts a good crowd of people. Isn’t full of all the Montpellier/131 types nor the rowdiness and antisocial behaviour you’ll find in Lounge and revs. Usually has a good atmosphere, drinks are on the pricey side but nothing on a lot of other places in Cheltenham which are out and out extortionate!

Best doormen in Britain and good DJ on a Saturday night. Also lovely food and friendly staff

I had a party here and it was fantastic! I have a party every year and have used many Cheltenham locations and this was the best! Great service, food, the best DJ and just a lovely, glamorous function room. Really recommend.

Classy place for a cocktail or to host your private party, based on minimum spend. With a club licence you'll not need to find somewhere else to go, kick out is at 3am. I was in tonight, DJ downstairs and the vibe was epic, great fun had by all.

First visit & called in late afternoon after s bit of shopping. Place was clean & tidy, with a few good drink offers as our visit coincided with their happy hour promotions. My cider was good, however my wife found her cocktails very sweet, compaired to what she normally gets.

Modern, cosy venue with a live DJ, who was brilliant at playing requests. Music had everyone dancing. I highly rate their espresso martinis. The staff were lovely, they were so friendly and accommodating. This venue is also dog friendly with a huge bowl of treats on the bar.

Very disappointing experience at the Clarence. Arrived at 7:15 with my girlfriend who recently passed her medical exams so we were looking to celebrate with happy hour cocktails. 25 minutes later we had still not been served and had seen four other parties (who joined the bar long after us) come and go with their drinks. At 7:40 after being ignored for the 5th time I intervened and told the bar staff we had not been served despite joining the bar way before other parties. This at last caught their attention and they decided to serve us. However, the staff told us happy hour finished at 7:30 and we were too late. I tried explaining to them we arrived well before that but they gave us no sympathy. I then asked for the manager (who I thought would understand) but she was also dismissive. I’m currently writing this review at Revolution (opposite) which so far has given me a much greater experience. Clearly the staff have been trained to treat their customers with respect unlike the Clarence!

What a little gem 💎 of a place. Happy hour sees you get a fantastic hand made cocktail (from a limited menu) for £5 ..... absolutely fantastic value and made exactly as normal from the menu..... not pre mixed rubbish!! Great atmosphere and plenty of seats.

Couldn’t fault the night we had at all. Very impressed with the bar staff and I’ve not been anywhere with the same friendliness, especially when having to put up with my drunk self at early hours of the morning. Thanks especially to Rob who really made our night

Rented out the venue for a 30th Birthday Party - couldn't be happier. From start to finish it was seamless - zero stress. Everyone had a great time, setup was stress free, music was awesome, service was quick, champagne cold & the buffet was very good quality! Well done to Emma & the team!

Rented out the venue for a 30th Birthday Party - couldn't be happier. From start to finish it was seamless - zero stress. Everyone had a great time, setup was stress free, music was awesome, service was quick, champagne cold & the buffet was very good quality! Well done to Emma & the team!

My wife and I enjoyed delicious early doors drinks in this smashing venue. We loved the atmosphere (the friendly barman explained that the music was especially crafted) and left thinking why we don't drop in more often. Highly recommended.

Absolutely love this venue! They hosted my 30th birthday party and I couldn't be happier. The service from their amazing staff was exceptional, so attentive and no request was too much both before and during the party. Highly recommend to anyone who's considering party venues in Cheltenham!

My friend and I had intended just to pop in for a bite to eat and drink one Saturday afternoon after hearing great things about the new refurb. We had a wonderful small plate lunch and a quick drink turned into a whole afternoon and evening. The food was perfect, the drinks were sublime (incredible cocktails) and the staff were absolutely fantastic- we'd planned to go on to other bars but ended up staying till gone 11pm dancing downstairs in the basement. The ambience was absolutely amazing. It was a brilliant day/night and we shall be heading back as soon as we can! Highly recommend!❤️

We spent the whole evening here in February and got to visit the basement bar too. We spent a great deal of our time talking with the manager who was very friendly and engaging. Clearly a popular spot, it got busy later on, but this only added to the atmosphere and didn’t impinge at all on ordering drinks. All in all, we will be back here very soon.

Booked a table to eat here after seeing their food all over Instagram. It's a really fun place with a great atmosphere. The food did not disappoint with the steak being one of the best I've have ever had. Charlotte the manager was really friendly and organised an impromptu coctial making session for us!! An early evening catch up turned into a Friday night out out as the place filled up and the band started. Thoroughly recommend if you are looking for a town center independent bar with an independent menu which made a refreshing change from all of the chains in The Brewerey/Cheltenham. Excellent food, excellent team and management and I didn't mind the hangover the next day either.

Love this place. Great atmosphere and drinks menu, fab food and the staff are amazing. Hired for a private party and been back lots since!

Love this place. Great atmosphere and drinks menu, fab atmosphere and the staff are amazing. Hired for a party and been back lots since!

Average drinks but expensive. Can be fun but depends on clientele.

The manageress here is the rudest person I’ve ever met. Not only did they mess our booking up for a group of 5 by clearly double booking us which her staff even admitted to she then continued to argue with us at one point even belittling her staff in front of us which you could tell made the poor girl so uncomfortable. Until she learns how to speak to people properly and politely would not return and definitely would not recommend!

Great bar with really amazing staff. Cocktails are excellent.

One of the best places for a chilled night

Lovey food and staff and great love music on a Sunday

I went here for New Years with my friends. I wasn’t happy due to the level of service we had got based on the tickets bought. The manager Emma was extremely drunk. When I complained she was rude and then threatening as well as aggressive outside Clarence. Her own bouncers ended up holding her back from me. I emailed the owner and got no response. The place was a lot better before the old owners left. What a shame.

Nice place to sit and cosy, food was nice tok and they had vegan options

Called in early and although the cocktail bar downstairs was closed, there was plenty of good seating in the main bar area. This is a smart place with a classy atmosphere. The cocktails were a cut above, I'm pretty sure I had a Flamingo and the little bird on top of my drink stayed there until the end. Recommended.

Excellent atmosphere, top quality food, well kept keg products and friendly staff

Good atmosphere, good drinks and great live music!

A definite 5 star from me. Lovely restaurant, and the staff were so friendly and attentive. Food was perfect. And they have a great original menu, the food was presented beautifully. Cocktails were delicious too. Would definitely return.

Super friendly place with a wonderful collection of cocktails.

Amazing service by Sara, she made my friends birthday very special! Sara was super helpful and attentive! Thank you so much, would love to come again.

We went early so it was quiet and were allowed to sit anywhere, we chose table overlooking the bar downstairs. Very polite staff and were greeted and served by Matt the general manager ( it was his first day and we were the first customers). Matt looked after us very well. The food was lovely and presented in a professional manner. I had the beef which was cooked to perfection. My wife had the lamb which was again cooked nicely. The starters of venison and scallops were great too. Healthy portions so neither of us had room for dessert. The Irish coffees rounded off the lovely evening. Highly recommended. Keep up the good work Matt and see you soon. Regards.

We’ve just had a great evening here on a brief visit to Cheltenham. Great, innovative food - really done well. Good wine list. Friendly vibe. Excellent professional service (thanks Sara! You really made our evening). We’ll be back :-)

Love this place, excellent food and the secret place is top notch

Lovely atmosphere, great staff. Amazing food

Great place, excellent cocktails and top notch service.

Cocktails are absolutely awful and overpriced!

4 of us had a bottomless brunch booked here for a while, we arrived at 11am and they advised there was no brunch menu available. Nobody explained what the deal for the bottomless brunch was going to be, so of course I asked. It was explained SO poorly by our waiter that I had to ask a few times to understand. Once we established that you were expecting us to pay £100 just for bottomless prosecco for an hour and a half AND extra for our food we decided it absolutely was not worth it, a complete rip off. We decided to stay for one nibble and one drink but the service was absolutely shocking. I explained to our waiter that we didn’t want to pay £25 each for what you had to offer, and we were clearly unhappy with the service, however there was not one apology made to us and to be honest the staff were actually quite rude. Following our awful visit, I sent an email to them hoping to get an apology, however they haven't responded. Don't go here, waste of time and money.

We were extremely disappointed. This was a special anniversary celebration and I wished we had gone anywhere else. My main course, smoked sea trout was so burnt out was inedible. I sent it back only to be given another one that was so overcooked it was dry and tasteless. If you are going to offer fish on your menu then find a chef who knows how to cook it. Very overpriced, house wine £30 a bottle! I expect these prices at a good restaurant, not at a below average bar.

Some staff felt undertrained, slow and had no idea what beers they stocked. After 20 mins the manager came over and recommeded something we were happy with. They had run out of roast beef by 1pm and there was no chicken option so stuck to choose lamb which definitely isnt my favourite. The carrot puree tasted of sweet curry. And the yorkshire puddings tasted of stuffing (which is fine if you like it :/ ). Venison was cooked nicely, and the ice cream was delicious though and it was a nice clean restaurant. .

An incredibly drab dining experience not helped by the menu not reflecting what we saw online when making the booking. We were greeted by the news that menu that consisted of three beef burgers and three pizzas but the pizzas had run out. Being non beef eaters we weren’t left with much of an option. The food we did have was basic and not that flavourful.

Went out as a group of 6, got there to find only option on menu was cheeseburger or onion bhaji burger. Waited 25mins for drinks. Miserable staff. Unisex toilets, vomit all over the floor. Was really looking forward to a night out but extremely disappointed.

We visited Clarence for lunch and sampled the new menu on offer. From the friendly, warm greeting at the door to the great service and fantastic food we are really glad we did. We chose from the A La Carte menu. Hummus was fresh and...

Came here for brunch a few weeks ago, and ended up trying four of the options because it was too hard to choose. All were amazing, especially the salt beef and mackerel so would highly recommend! The staff were all lovely and they make a...

The new chef at Clarence is superb! I loved the fries and doughnut Mac & cheese bites. Great service as always, even under the covid pressure.

Good food, Just a bit loud with the music!!!

Good ambience, and super service. Frankly, though, food fell short. Starter of beef carpaccio was very disappointing - the beef was overcooked, too little, and the extras overpowered it. Then the octopus was tasty, but slightly overshadowed by the veg. Nice unusual flavors, but at...

We had the set menu for lunch today and it was divine! £25 for 3 yummy courses and a glass of red wine - amazing value for quality food in luxurious surroundings with great service. We’ll definitely be back!

Superb night, Georgia was beyond welcoming - a great retreat for any weary traveller

We had a meal as a present. When we visited on a Wednesday lunchtime, it was not busy and we were able to choose our table. The waitress was attentive without being intrusive. We had the set menu and the food was good. The wine...

Visited last Saturday and was really impressed! The venue is lovely and the staff are even better, very friendly and the service was amazing!

Went in for a valentines day meal, lovely food and can not thanks the girls enough for their excellent service. They went that extra mile to make our valentines meal special. Friendly staff, great atmosphere. Will definitely be returning.

We booked a table for a meal on Valentines night. The food and cocktails were amazing, the staff were friendly and service was great! Would highly recommend!

Not really one for writing reviews about places i’ve been to but I honestly couldn’t praise the clarence enough, i’m in their every Saturday without fail and have so much fun! Great music, staff are bubbly and are always looking like they are having fun...

Manager and staff drunk - very odd. Music was amazing and drinks were okay yet the place was like a sweat box. Female manager in red outfit was clearly very drunk - all staff were drinking on the job - very sad a great venue...

After a slight confussion over a Groupon Voucher we managed to get booked in fir a Quick Lunch before a cinema trip. The Lunch Menu had plenty of choice. 3 course's each with 4-5 choices each. We had the Sticky sweet chicken strips to start...

Great burger (couldn't resist but whole menu looks good)

This was our 3rd visit with Groupon and the Sunday Lunch has not disappointed any of us. The first visit we had larger portions and the 2nd two visits they were less, but still plenty to eat. When I questioned it with a waitress she...

Lovely food, friendly staff and beautiful surroundings.

We had booked for Sunday lunch with Groupon, but it was closed when we arrived at the time booked. About 10 other people outside in the same situation. There was post on the mat saying Final Demand, which doesn’t sound good. I’m unlikely to go...

The best place in Cheltenham!! Can not praise the staff enough for all their help and support when booking birthday events and just keeping safe on a night out. The DJ is my favourite DJ on a Saturday at the moment and the table service is super friendly.

Very disappointed that we booked a table for Sunday lunch for a family birthday today, an email was sent confirming our reservation. On arrival the building was locked up, no lights on or any sign of life inside. We called but got no answer. Definitely would not recommend

Went for lunch here after doing abit of Xmas shopping, using a voucher I had been given.

Did a lunch deal and had the pate and a burger. Food was yummy, nice setting and friendly staff. Central location.

Visited here on a 2-course Groupon voucher, between Christmas and New Year. Arrived and asked to sit anywhere. Many tables uncleared and lots of empty plates lying around. I did feel sorry for the 2 staff working they were rushed off their feet. Although our waitress did explain she was having a tough day as she had only had 3 hours sleep due to partying - not the most professional. We sat close to a bin on display and dirty plates stacked on the bar. The food was nice. Salad for me, fish for my partner. However the fish was raw in the middle. This was replaced quickly. We shared a bottle of house wine £22. Happy to pay this price but the surroundings and service do not match the pricing. Would have been really disappointed if it was not part of a voucher. Needs work if it wants to be seen as a higher end place.

My review based on a Christmas meal this evening would actually be more like 3 stars but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt as it's also Cheltenham races. It was extremely busy in there and very loud. Imagine trying to eat a meal in a nightclub. We were upstairs and quite a large group but they didn't have thought amount of places set so we had to squeeze up on added tables and felt squashed against other tables. Food was decent. Starter was a bit basic but that's fine. Main course of roast beef was sublime. Cannot fault that in the slightest I loved it. Pudding was great too a very rich chocolate brownie. Service was fine, a few drinks rerequested as forgotten but nothing to write home about although I am aware that one member of staff was rude to my friend however they did apologize and considering everyone has bad days then all was forgiven. All in all I'd probably like to give it another shot to see whetheŕ this is a normal experience or whether it was tarnished by other events as it had a lot going for it.

Very friendly staff and lovely food. The Sunday roasts are out of this world so taste.

Really amazing food. Definitely a bar atmosphere downstairs but upstairs is a lovely restaurant with a great menu and they definitely have some very talented chefs. Menu changes regularly in line with what produce they can get but have yet to have meal here that wasn't delicious.

Booked bottomless brunch for my birthday and reserved for 10am. When we got there 5 mins early we met a cleaner on the steps who advised they weren’t open yet and to come back in 20 mins. Came back and the doors were locked (15 mins after reservation time). Rang them up explaining we were outside and the chef came to the door and apologised that no front of house staff were there and he could either serve us himself or we could return at midday for a complimentary meal. We decided to return and did a bit of shopping (on an empty tummy!). When we got there for brunch at midday we were the first table to be seated at the top floor, and it was spookily quiet. A few more came to join throughout and by 1pm lots more had come along for lunch (mainly groupons). The food was excellent portions and very tasty. Although we had to make the bellinis ourselves, the Prosecco got topped up when it was finished and was an overall good experience. It’s a shame there isn’t more of an uptake on brunch to give it a better atmosphere as it was nice by the time we were leaving and lots of people having lunch.

Sunday lunch : Beef was so tough, Service was not good at all, will not return

Only ever popped in a few times to give it another chance and yes we must admit the skinny gay barman with a curly black mop was certainly a highlight. We have not seen him in a while since visiting (when we are in town) which was a shame because he did make us giggle and basically the reason for coming.

Visited this venue a few weeks ago in October, The staff/service on the ground and upper floor were sub-par but overall fine, but going downstairs into the basement was a mistake I encourage nobody else to make. The worst, most insulting service Ive ever experienced. A gentleman I believe was the manager (bearded gentleman) was rude and condescending when I asked him to recommend a drink for my wife and I. His colleague was equally as offensive. The pair of them were bantering about our supposed lack of taste in cocktails. Likewise, I had to wait ten minutes for a drink when I was the only person waiting because the bartender was chatting to who I assume were his friends.The overall service behind the bar was non-existent and we were treated extremely coldly and disrespectfully. Adding onto this the price of the drinks it felt like a massive rip off. Never going back to this place again, or at least not down stairs.

Great bar but go downstairs and you’ll find their cocktail bar. The staff are great and will mix you any cocktail you desire, cozy, welcoming and a great night.

Had a Groupon deal for Sunday Lunch. We arrived at peek time and found service was very slow. We were there over 2 hours for 2 course lunch. Food was nice and value for money with Groupon deal. However, wouldn’t return without this deal, at no point did any staff check how our meal was. Found minor issues with food which should easily of been identified before leaving kitchen. For example Yorkshire Puds slightly burnt.

It was first time to visit this venue, it was in centre of Cheltenham so it was easy to get to. When I walked in, I got good vibe straight way. People were relaxed and having a good time in the reception kind of bar area. We did too, drink and chat. Our table was booked at 7:30 so we went to dining area upstairs. It was ready for us and took us to the table straight way. The ambience was good and service was good too.

Great cocktails, great food, but gets loud and a bit chavvy on weekend evenings. And avoid if the races are on.

We turned up on a Saturday night and I thought I had booked a table but hadn’t. The lady at the bar said not to worry and she would sort us out.

A lovely place with very friendly staff delivering fantastic service. Food was amazing!

We made a reservation for a Friday evening, five days prior to the event.

Visited on Friday evening . Table booked for 8.15 not available upon arrival no apology no nothing just offered us a table in the basement ! Are u joking ? A dungeon dark and dingy would not of been able to see the food and didn’t even feel safe !

Amazing food, the best chilli chicken ever and the mains didn’t disappoint, highly recommend the Chicken Supreme and the staff were fantastic, will definitely be back!

The highly camp bartender (skinny, dark/tanned skin tone, black curly hair) is extremely entertaining.

At just under £30 for 2 double gin and tonics I'd expect a lot more from my surroundings!

Went with my husband for a Sunday lunch. Arrived at 2pm and the restaurant was quite busy but we were still looked after

Bought a groupon deal, so glad that I did. The lunch was beautifully prepared. Soup was really tasty. My salad was interesting with beetroot and lots of nuts. My husband had the beef burger which he said was good. He also had the cheese board, again very tasty. Surprised there were not many people in the restaurant. The staff were attentive and never stopped working to make sure people had an enjoyable time.