The Dark Horse in Bristol, City of

I recently had a disappointing experience at the Dark Horse Hotel in Bristol. Contrary to its listing as a hotel, it's actually a pub with a few small rooms upstairs. Our room was situated right above pub tables, which made it quite noisy. Additionally, there was no network coverage in the room, and the Wi-Fi was not working. We booked through Trip.com, and this is the first time we've encountered such a poor experience with them. The room photos looked great online, but in reality, it was a very unsatisfactory stay for us. I would not recommend this place if you're expecting a typical hotel experience.

Great staff, really friendly proper bar staff who are willing to counsel as well as advise on drinks. Lovely outside upstairs drinking area that captures the evening sun. Super dog friendly, with water bowls for the furry friends and dog treats. Seams to attract lovely clientele also, ended up chatting to a host of strangers who were all delightful. Great range of beer on tap and a seemingly endless variety of spirits too.

The decor of the room is eclectic which is nice. The room faces the main road and the window does not have a blind or net for privacy so if you want to get dressed you need to close the velvet curtains. The bathroom radiator was very dirty, and hasn’t been dusted for a long time. The shower tray doesn’t filter the water out so it becomes a small paddling pool. The black mildew on the bottom of the shower is off putting. The WiFi 🛜 is awful and it’s very difficult to get any reception for your phone. We had to go outside to use the phone. If you have any mobility difficulties this is not recommended due to the high wooden narrow steps to get to the room.

Chilled music, rustic old school vibes, good service and.. And an all important roof terrace

I travel as a lone female for work. The website leads you to believe you are getting a quirky pub with character….. oh no! Entering the room via the upper balcony where groups of people are staring and can easily see the code you type in. Thumb lock only- no other dead lock. I got back to my car and cried. Been traveling all day and was 9:30pm. It is not what is advertised- avoid at all costs

Hired the Dark horse for my birthday party last week, had such a blast. The venue is gorgeous with a large room you can hire in the back and a lovely smoking terrace. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend a visit

The small back room is great for a small party (~20 ppl). Doesn't cost anything to hire and you can bring your own food and sound system. There's also a larger room back room for a more substantial knees up!

Great pub with excellent beers and cider.

Friendly pub. Elements of the traditional but with a contemporary twist. Great beer and cider collection. Cracking backroom for events. Dog friendly too! Lovely bar staff.

Hella great great cans great !!!!

Favourite pub in the area. Good selection of beers and always a good vibe.

Great pub which welcomes dogs and kids before 6pm. Cosy with a great atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit.

I had my 40th birthday here in the function room and it was perfect! Free to hire and great space. We sorted our own sound system and music, was just what I wanted. Could access room to do decor, staff were pretty hands off as it’s free to hire but it all worked out really well. Friendly vibes in pub and good variety of drinks and good location for east bristol! Thanks to dark horse

Love coming here Good selection of drinks and great service

Nice pub in a lively area. Good variety and friendly staff.

Great little pub... Great staff and great banter. Pub quiz most Tuesday's. Great selection of alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic drinks.

They let me eat my kebab in here… And they serve good beers. Can’t knock it!

Welcomed my disabled friend, she parked her mobility scooter in the garden.

Cracking boozer, great selection of local ales and nice relaxed atmosphere.

Lovely pub, just wish they’d sort the seating out. Weird layout and never enough space

Fab evening for a friends birthday. Didn’t stay, just used the pub.

Freezing cold no heating no hot water, not very clean, room 3

Stayed here, it was fantastic. A bit noisy on the weekend but I didn't mind or complain. Super close to grocery and not bad walking to anywhere important. Hope to stay again!! Great cider selection.

Usually a good atmos, good soundtrack - local ales inc on tap and board games for a casual

Absolutely LOVE The Dark Horse, we put on an event in their backroom and it’s the perfect space for so many different functions. All staff are completely lovely, friendly and helpful - it’s one of our favourite pubs in the whole of Bristol! Definitely do not hesitate to enquire about using the room for private or public events!

They don't know there product, there price and the warm welcome was more like entering a walk I freezer.

Amazing place to go, awesome staff, and amazing drinks! Would totally recommend :)

Matt saved my friend Anusha finding her lost wallet on the road!! And he gave us free shots when he found it!! Matt and Tash are the best!!!!!

Had my 30th birthday party held in the back function room and had the best time!! Staff are super accommodating and the day was perfect! Would definitely return! Great pub xx

Location good for what we needed. What good value. Checked prices again today and not such good value from what I saw online.

Decent boozer, was not too packed on a Saturday night and good selection of local beers

Great pub. Good selections of beers. Busy outdoor areas when sunny. Always a great atmosphere

Great pub. Love the quiz nights. Really good fun

My brother hosted his 40th birthday party in the function room at The Dark Horse. Everyone had a great time. Good selection of beers, friendly and helpful staff members and all ran smoothly. Guests all had a fantastic night 👍👍👌

Myself and my partner was attending pir friends birthday party locally. As we're from the other side of town, we decided to book a room in above the pub as on Booking.com it looked quite nice. I paid £120 for 1 night through agoda.com The room and the accommodation as a whole was absolutely disgusting and totally unsafe! We tried to speak to the manager the following morning, as we came back to the accommodation around 1am and when we went into the bar the manager wasn't there. There was also knowone available when we went there in the morning. So when I got home I spoke to Agoda customer service where they stated I needed to contact THE DARK HORSE directly. Which I did, through email numerous times. Finally I started getting correspondence where the manager, didn't want to accept any responsibility what so ever and kept making excuses to why the room and all the upstairs accommodation was in total state of disrepair! He therefore refused any kind of compensation or refund. The ceiling had had quite an apparent leak, where it was still totally visible. The floor was totally uneven and unsafe, same as the door to the room totally uneven. There was dirt and dust all over the floor. The skirting was quite visably coming away from the wall. The bed was totally unacceptable the minute we sat on it it creaked! Proper rickety old bed!! There was no net up on the window which looked down onto the high street. You could not just sit on the bed or anything as people passing in buses could look right at you at eye level. You walk out of door from the room out onto decking where people from the pub sit and drink..... there is a massive gap between the door going out onto the decking which is dangerous and totally unsafe! We didn't even have a spoon to stir pur £1 shop coffee sachets which was left for us!! Also the TV was stuck on Netflix! It was frozen as soon as you turned it on and it just stayed that way the whole time even though we tried sorting it ourselves, so there was no TV to watch either! All in all I would most definitely not recommend staying here especially at that price!! Even if it was advertised as a budget room the most this room would be worth is £35 a night! And that's pushing it! Absolutely disgusting, the management's attitude towards resolving my concerns and the property itself STEER CLEAR!!!

We had an enjoyable visit here enjoying the various draught ciders on offer, just a shame the gents toilets were totally disgusting. I informed the manageress who confirmed a lot of money had been spent on them, I suggested she had been ripped off as they were the worst I had ever encountered. Maybe there was a particular problem that night, I hope it was a one-off.

Lots it in here normally, at the moment it’s even better! They’re currently hosting a pop-up Mexican kitchen by @MunchWithMax1 (according to the menu). The food was delicious, drinks were great, staff were friendly, funny and really welcoming. All in all a fabulous experience, we’ll definitely be back again soon to try out the rest of the menu!

Best vegan roast ever, and there were three different options! Nut roast, jackfruit or sausages. Delicious. Friendly staff. Cool setting with good music. Dog was immediately brought a water bowl. Pretty great all round.

As a connoisseur of pies throughout the land, this place has the best Beef and Stilton pies by far. Bravo chef

After booking over email for my partners birthday, no booking was actually made. They did accommodate us but, we were on a make shift table in the gangway. This pub is dog friendly which I was fine about however while choosing my dinner the landlords dog decided to go to the toilet next to our table. Then came out our food and I was less than impressed the Yorkshire pudding was burnt and the roast potatoes had obviously been sat under a heat lamp as they were dry. I was really disappointed with our visit and I wouldn’t recommend or go again.

Love this pub, the vibe, the staff. Admittedly the black mould in the gents isn’t desirable but it’s such a nice place for a pint or a pie n pint. Vicky on the bar is a legend (how can she remember what I drank last week when I can’t ) and Maya is charming- so chatty! !

We chose this pub as it represented fair value and was listed as pet friendly.The room was acceptable but looked as if it needed touching up here and there.Likewise doors in the corridor had clearly been left unfinished.Just a little finishing decoration would have made a significant difference to this place That said, it was comfortable enough with an adequate bathroom.Loads of local eateries so plenty of choice. In summary, it was not fancy but two adults and two dogs were accommodated for £79 which was OK as a very convenient stopover with car parking nearby.We did not eat at the pub

Had some smashing cold meat & cheese boards. Great price and lovely presentation. A very dog friendly place with some unusual seating.

Went for a Sunday roast as they have a good vegan roast. The food was nice but we were sat on a long shared table which is ok but also on a long shared bench seat, with people who couldn't sit still! So spent the whole time rocking whilst trying to eat, not good. We were also right by the bar and it was rammed, getting knocked with peoples bags and rucksacks. The table behind us was so close that if you sat up straight you were touching backs with the person behind. Bit of a let down really as trying to cram too many people in spoiled the experience.

We had a booking for six people at 1pm on Sunday. We knew there was a big booking coming in later, so we made sure to order before their arrival at 1:30pm. We ordered in two transactions - four of our friends, then my wife and I, and the lady on the till said she'd put it in as one order so they would all arrive at the same time. However, only four of our six meals turned up. After another 20-30 minutes, a waiter noticed two of us were sitting there not eating, and confusedly asked us what we were waiting for. I said we were waiting for our food and repeated our order. It was clear at that point they had forgotten two of the meals. Some 15 minutes later and my wife's food had arrived, and mine still had not. Everyone else in our party except my wife had finished eating. I stopped a member of staff and said, everyone else here has finished but my food hasn't even arrived yet, and she just looked at me blankly. I said again, my food hasn't come out yet, and everyone else in my group has finished. She then said something about the owner trying to serve 40 people in the next room. I said that doesn't really help me, I've paid for my food and it's not here, and everyone else I'm with is finished. She then accused me of being rude to her (!) and again vaguely mumbled something about the owner being busy elsewhere, which again I said had nothing to do with my order, which we specifically made before the group arrived to make the kitchen staff's life easier. Then she wandered off and was never seen again, and neither was the owner, which was probably deliberate as I would have asked for my money back for A) my food being 40 minutes later than everyone else's and clearly forgotten about, and B) the staff member's rude attitude. I don't care if my order was forgotten, that can happen. But if it does, just apologise and ask what you can do to make it right - money off, a free dessert, an actual apology would have been fine. But to very rudely insinuate that I was in the wrong because of a clear miscommunication on your end, after I have paid you, is shameful. I almost never write reviews for stuff like this, let alone a negative one but I was hugely disappointed in the attitude of almost everyone we dealt with today. On the plus side the food, as I awkwardly ate it with the rest of my party watching me, was really good, so kudos to the kitchen staff.

I visited the Dark Hors on a Wed evening with three friends. While I’m a fan of the Pieminister pie, I wasn’t starving and so opted for the charcuterie board and was very pleased to do so! Lots of different tastes with a mini crusty loaf. Others had the macaroni cheese or the vegan board, and we were all pleased with what we had! Would certainly return again.

I had a lamb roast, was lovely! Had fantastic vegan options, including a whole roasted garlic that my sister was chuffed with. A bit cramped inside, we had a table for 8 including 2 children. Good all rounder

It is not often that I take the time and trouble to give a pub a bad review, but in the case of the Dark Horse, I decided to make an exception. Without doubt, this is an awful pub. Disgusting food, rude landlady, and very few beers. This is just as well, as they do not know how to keep beer and clean the pipes. Undrinkable slop.

We went to have Sunday lunch here and it was brilliant. We had to sit in the back room of the pub as they are always totally booked up (make sure you book in advance) but this was fine with us. I hadn’t been here before so was pleasantly surprised by the pub and the food. The menu was good with 3 choices of roasted meats or you could have a combination of all 3 for a little extra money. There are also lots of vegetarian and vegan choices too including desserts.’we had the mostly the beef and mild husband had the mixed roast. The beef was so tender as it’s a sirloin roast and tasted amazing. My husband reported that the mixed meats was also great with crispy pork belly crackling and tender pork. The lamb was also of a good quality and tender. We had a great selection of seasonal veggies and all the trimmings. We all enjoyed the food and will definitely be back. I would say the beef here is better than at The Lock up as it’s so tender being a sirloin roast and not a rump cut. Staff friendly and I would say it’s very family friendly. Good value to tasty Sunday lunch.

There were 12 of us (including a little one) and the pub was very accommodating, the food was excellent, the service was great. We couldn't fault it! Great selection of drinks with some nice gin and cider choices. We're definitely going back!

One of the best pubs over in East Bristol. An open fire, a superb range of beers/ciders, friendly staff and dog friendly (they even do a ‘’doggie roast’’ for free on Sundays). The human roasts are great too, with the cauliflower cheese being a particular...

We stopped in for a quick drink before a meal on Church Road. Great beer and cider choices and the the wine recommended by the barman was fantastic. Unfortunately can't remember the name of the wine. Busy with groups of people enjoying drinks. The food...

We came here for a rather impromptu roast dinner. The staff were able to reserve a table for us prior to us arriving. We arrived and immediately greeted and shown to our seats. There was a good selection of spirits and drinks overall behind the...

Booked a table for two for a Sunday roast, definitely worth booking as it was busy. We were in a dark back room next to a frequently used doorway which was a shame as the front of the pub which looked much more pleasant. The...

Have had two Sunday roasts here over a few months. Is very local for us, but is probably too popular on a Sunday and is probably ok for younger people, but seems to get very loud at times and very cramped due to it being...

Popped in with the pooch post walk and she was exceptionally happy as got a doggie roast dinner on gratitude! I also had a fine selection of beers to choose from and able to settle with a Shangri La and the paper- nowt better on...

We love this place. A cool old pub with funky interior and cracking a Sunday roast for 12 a head. The lamb was gorgeous, sooo tender and the red cabbage was just amazing, so rich and warming it was superb. Cannot recommend this highly enough...

As usual I’m always up to try a new place for a Sunday roast. This time a friend organised a group meeting and booked us in. The pub was very lively, a down to earth vibe, dog and kid friendly. The service was a bit...

Went here last Sunday for a roast - and it was really very delicious. Also the first vegan yorkshire pudding I've had in Bristol! The delicious food makes up for the less than streamlined service - the staff always seem a bit confused about which...

the service here is tragic! shame because the food is really nice.Very disappointed.The staff doesn't tell you when the table is ready or that you need to order at the bar.You cant open a tab you need to pay for a drink or food straight...

We booked this pub/ restaurant for Sunday lunch. Ours was a bit of a reunion/catch up with relatives. The food was nice although any enjoyment we had was ruined by being unceremoniously chucked off our pre- booked table! We'd taken our time enjoying our food...

They do a nice roast here, casual atmosphere, friendly staff. The Super Bloody Mary didn’t disappoint 👍🏻

We visited midweek for a cocktail after we had eaten elsewhere. There was a wide range of cocktails to choose from, including old favourites and new imaginative twists. The bar area has a speak easy vibe and the staff were very attentive. Only reason it's...

Went for Sunday roast last week having heard good things. Proper let down. The meat was cracking, but if you let a roast out of the kitchen with uncooked yorkshires, inedibly charred roast potatoes and parsnip (see picture), and cold swede mash, you're doing it...

My partner and I went for Sunday lunch after a friend told us he had the best roast ever... Such a bold statement that I had to check it out for myself. We booked for two people (booking is a must!) for 1pm and arrived...

Fab, cosy pub with quirky, cool decor and a relaxed, home-away-from-home vibe. Love how dog friendly the place is - the owner has two tiny little pooches running around but they don't get in the way and are super sweet. The fire is great for...

This was our second visit to the pub and it was nowhere near what it was on our first visit. Not sure what has happened over the past 6 months. 6 months ago it was warm and busy and had a lovely atmosphere. On this...

Hi, Great pub generally however last night there were two dogs in there not on leads and one of the dogs was walking up and down on the bar. None of the staff seem bothered by this or attempted to ask the owner to take...

I dont normally write reviews but this seemed worth taking the time. Super helpful staff. Even though it was clearly a really busy sunday they were really obliging and friendly when we turned up late. The food was better than any roast I've ever had...

I’m normally not a fan of Sunday lunches out as I’ve found them disappointing on so many occasions- this was not one of these times! Started with the Super Bloody Mary, this was a starter in its own right with a pig in blanket and...

Been here a few times and the food has been excellent every time. On a few visits the choice of ales has been a bit limited, but very happy to find a great stout on tonight. Lovely atmosphere - lovely pub.

This place stiff has a good old school pub atmosphere, but has been done up with simple style, Dingy Mouldy feel has gone, to be replaced with a friendly, social atmosphere. A good place to meet friend or go on a date. They serve up...

Had great Friday night out,: brilliant DJ/music, atmosphere and bar staff, Shame the doorman was rude and sullen, though. honest, proper quality pub grub: Pieminister pies which are scrumptious.

Nice pub comfortable without being twee,musics fun nothing offensive or too loud,and the pies and gravy are spectacular I'm sure I will enjoy many return visits and have already raved about it to friends

Had Sunday lunch here las Sunday with 2 others. The vegan lunch was ok but the pork was just passable whilst the beef had by myself was inedible. I couldn't even cut it with a knife let alone chew it. Full of fat and gristle....

Thought we would try this having driven past and also tried to have lunch one Saturday when they were fully booked so enquired via website this time. Customers predominantly chunky jumper 'yah yah' mature student beardie types including one family feeding their 3 kids fruit...

Had a wonderful lunch here. You could almost miss the place as you walk past. I had never noticed it before. I will be going back. This is an interesting decorated and friendly pub that specialises in pies. 4 of us a baby and a...

This pub is a mixture of quirky old fashioned and modern wine bar. The music is great some really good stuff and the decor is lovely. I haven't eaten here so cant comment on the food. Bar staff friendly. The only think that lets this...

Judging by the awful racket coming out of the speakers, I assume it was a pub. The little dog running around at best is a health and safety issue, imagine going a over t with a drink in your hand or finding some of its...

We popped in here because it's a CAMRA pub and we both like our beers but we were disappointed with the range, they only had 2 beers from the barrel and not a vast range on tap. What we did have was nice but we...

Great service and a lovely place to have a pie and a pint. It's been transformed and is part of the new development in St George.

Firstly, the pub is an old Victorian Public House that was a real locals boozer before the change to the Dark Horse, in my 30 odd years in the area I think I went in there once! Its definitely a work in progress but it's...

Best roast dinner I've had in Bristol. Huge plate and everything on there was amazing. The service was impeccable, the young man behind the bar and running food was lovely and chatty and dealt with (a ridiculous) issue on the table next to ours so...

Just what Church Road needed, absolutely awesome little pub. Foods amazing, people are lovely, dog friendly so always some entertainment. Best of all is the beer, it's so nice to support the local breweries and there's always something different on tap!

I was looking forward to trying out Redfield's newest (and best) pub, I have lived here for the last ten years and never fancied any of the other pubs except for a quick pint - we were not disappointed. Great looking place, would not look...

I've been here a few times now, it can be too busy at times- but that's hardly fault of its own. Testament to the want for a pub like this in the area, good ales and cider, casual vibe, nice crowd. It's all I hoped...

Been to this pub a few times now. There are always a good selection of beers. I have eaten here during during the week and had the pie and mash, which are brilliant (I think they are pie minister pies, which are always good). Also...

Great little pub - especially if you enjoy a pint of real ale. Full of life and atmosphere - especially on a Friday night. Well worth a visit.

When visiting a friend in Bristol we were looking for a place to grab a nice roast, reading reviews we saw great pictures of food so went on to book a table. We arrived and it was clear it was very busy with us having...

The Dark Horse has re-opened with a nice vibe, friendly service and Pieminister pies. The Sunday roasts come in a generous portion and are absolutely delicious - excellent value! The kind of pub where you woud feel comfortable going with friends, as a family, even...

Visiting friends who took us here, and had been looking forward to sampling the Sunday Roasts. First let me say what is good about the Dark Horse - it's a great pub, excellent booze choices with good music and fab little touches like USB sockets,...

I went with a bunch of friends and family for a Sunday roast, it was so tasty, the veggie haggis was dreamy. Nice vibe and friendly place. Outside space still needs some attention but defo worth a visit!

Had a great experience at this homely and welcoming pub. Firstly so many good ales on offer, bar snacks to die for and the main event an awesome roast dinner everything you could want done properly. Excellent meat and great veg, would drive miles to...

An absolutely amazing pub, been here several times now for drinks, pie, Sunday roasts are spectacular. I'm a meat eater but I always go for the vegan haggis, it's fantastic! The puppy mini is very friendly and my pup likes to say hello! Dog friendly...

I go for the cider and beer :) Oh and the puppy. And the Sunday roasts. And the quirky locals. And the fire.

Great addition to the area, something we have been in need of. Such a nice little boozer. We love an easy weeknight or a great weekend. New Years was ace! Love the hidden party room and of course little Minnie (the dog).

I thought I would check this place out today as I has been open for a bit now. When I saw it being done up I knew it would be a welcome addition to Church Road but there was a slight worry that it may...

Having just moved to the Redfield area of Bristol from London, I was worried I might not get the same quality of pubs. All fears allayed then when I visited my local, The Dark Horse. Have been in a few times now as I love...

Amazing selection of drinks, fantastic food, lovely staff and always such a great atmosphere. Can't recommend enough! Go go go!

Recently ate at this pub with our baby and toddler. The sunday roast was delicious and a generous size. Staff and other customers were very friendly and we were made to feel very welcome