The Head of Steam Cardiff in Cardiff

Great place with friendly staff, good pub food and a fab selection of drinks

lots of high quality beers, but also good dishes if you're hungry

Good selection of ales, beers etc. Great atmosphere. Staff friendly and always clearing up. Been a few times and always no trouble.

We first ate here a few months ago and came back for my daughter's birthday. Service was great and the beer very good. However we are puzzled as to what has happened to the food. We compared photos of the burgers from April with what was served this time. The burgers have shrunk and so have the chips. If it wasn't for the photo we would have believed it was a different venue. So very puzzling

Great variety of beers, lagers, ipas, and cocktails food also very good. Highly recommend 👌 could do with more staff serving behind the bar as it's always packed at the bar and takes a long time to get a beer

Stopped by for a couple of beers with some collegues. It’s a big old place with seating upstairs also. It’s an a good spot with a number of good restaurants in close proximity. Huge selection of beers from around the globe. We opted for a Belgian experience and they did not disappoint! I’m sure the floor was a bit uneven as we were leaving….. actually, perhaps it was the Le Trappe rocket fuel that we were drinking! Staff were friendly and efficient and I’ll definitely be returning next time I’m in town.

First time in Cardiff and we ended up going several times in our short stay , they had a range of craft beers my other half was happy with , staff are so lovely they even managed to get help for a local homeless man. They have games and a lovely relaxing atmosphere.

Quick drink before a stadium gig. Superb selection of alcohol free beers, IPAs, session IPAs, all sorts, probably the best selection in Cardiff. Really friendly bar staff, good atmosphere. Highly recommend and will be back

Great food and selection of drinks on offer

A great place to visit and a very extensinve selection if beers.

Lovely atmosphere excellent choice of beers

Seems a lively bar, with non standard beers 🍺🍺, plus you can have a taster

Great selection of pints, some great GF options and some great low/no alcohol options too! Food is great, burgers are top notch and relatively well priced. Recommend to book if you want a table on busy weekends but it's quiet enough if there's nothing in Cardiff on the day.

Awesome place to sample some ales and craft that you don't see in the other pubs. Big selection on the bar and in the fridges. I personally recommend the Vault City Iron Brew sour. Lovely stuff. They also have Shuffleboard tables which are VERY fun and addictive. Friendly staff and decent doormen too.

Had a lovely lunch here. Unfortunately they were operating a reduced menu and a few things we picked weren’t available but, what we had was delicious and fresh. Staff were helpful and very welcoming

Stopped by for a late dinner. Got the chicken shawarma flatbread, double cheeseburger, and veggie burger. Cool that the buns were branded with the restaurant name. Food and drinks were both tasty and server was very friendly.

We all had a lovely time here. Tried a taster of IPAs for £10 and enjoyed each one! Lovely staff and would absolutely recommend and bring people here again. Aimee was amazing behind the bar was absolutely amazing - what a good bartender!! Answered all my questions and was so helpful, I would encourage anyone visiting cardiff to pay a visit here x

Good bar for beers 🍺 and you can pay 1 £ to play pool. It has a nice atmosphere to go with friends and grab a beer

If you're into beer, then this is definitely a great place to visit. There is a wide selection available with plenty to choose from. A little more expensive compared to most places in Cardiff, but worth visiting!

Stopped in on a Sunday afternoon for a pint, looking for something from a local brewery. Service was awesome and very helpful. Tried the Frank and Otis hazy ipa (based on the bartenders recco) did not disappoint. Fun fact. Frank and Otis are the names of the brewer's dogs. Great location in city center. Clean and comfortable. Would happily stop by again.

Have been here a few times when visiting Cardiff and have always found it to offer great food and a good atmosphere 😀

Excellent selections of beers including half a dozen Cask Ales. Vegan options on the menu--burgers and the like. Gets busy. Order at the bar. Bring cash for tips--machine won't take them when we were there.

It was VERY CLEAN, but the menus were a bit sticky. The food was very good and juicy, and it had a lot of flavor (please thank the chef). The service was also very good (amazing).

Unbelievable Geoff! Unlike Nunez the food never misses. Burger bigger than Maguire forehead. Staff with the work ethic of prime Ngolo Kante. Made the beautiful game proud. Up the ticks cmon!

Great bar food and not too pricey :)

Great Food, friendly staff, with a wide selection of drinks to choose from. Fantastic decor and great music which gives a relaxed vibe. Both my partner and myself had the fried chicken burger, highly recommended l!!! Been here on a few occasions for drinks, but this is our first for food and we are definitely coming back.

Fantastic food, service and selection of beers. Would highly recommend! Great vegan options too 👌

Alex is amazing! Best place ever!! Fun and welcoming

Went in on my hen party, great atmosphere. Despite ordering a round of 10+ service very efficient!

Love this place and the range of craft ale they sell🍻🍷

Fantastic experience at Head of Steam last Saturday. 9 of us turned up last minute looking for a table and were greeted with enthusiastic staff who found us a table straight away. This is the 3rd time I have visited as a repeat customer. Previously visited with my two children and found the menu and staff very child friendly. Great price drinks and a good variety, will be back, can’t wait to try the new menu and gluten free pizza base.

Friendly and vibrant atmosphere. Staff fitted us in last minute and found us enough space to fit 10 people.

Very nice vegan burger, freindly staff.

Great venue with fab decor. The staff are very friendly, welcoming and always greet you with a smile. Wide selection of beers. Bristol Cider and Krusovice were absolutely delicious. The Head of Steam pizza and burger were absolutely phenomenal. Will definitely be back.

Came here for my leaving drinks with about 10 people. Most of us had burgers and I recommend the double stack - really tasty, handmade, and very good portion size. The variety of beers on tap is impressive, and it has a casual, rustic vibe.

Lovely pub, nice food, great selection of beer, staff friendly and helpful. The manager got us a table, even though they were fully booked with reservations. Personally, when a stadium event is on, I would not block tables in this manor as the seating upstairs was only a third of capacity, and of all the bars we walked passed, it was the quietest as people were told all tables reserved, we sat outside for half an hour and manager got us a table as a part had not arrived. I don't want to take away from the overall experience as we stayed for a couple of hours, had food, and sampled the many ales, stouts, lagers, etc, on offer and can not fault any of it.

Woody very welcoming with me and my friends. It was a nice relaxed atmosphere! With good food and good choice of drinks and beers. Had a burger and a gyro and couldn’t eat all the food on the plates!

Had a wonderful afternoon at the head of steam yesterday. I was beyond impressed with the customer service I received. Bar staff were polite and friendly, especially a lovely lady called mia whose service was impeccable! I will most definitely be visiting again.

Lovely food but better service chat and a laugh with barstaff, cadi was lovely and couldn't ask for anything more from a server . Will be returning

Amazing experience! 10/10! Came here for a family meal and Cadi served us. Not only was the food fantastic, but the service was beyond. Recommending amazing ales/spirits, based off similar drinks we like and generally getting to know us. Lovely environment. Will be returning and hoping she is my bartender again :)

Went here with a few friends before a gig, was served by Mia who was very attentive. Will definitely be back.

Lush time at head of steam today, Cadi was excellent, gave us great recommendations for Welsh drinks and was lovely to talk to! Also very quick service, will be back!!

Had a few drinks with friends here, we were served by the lovely Charlotte who looked after us well and was very friendly. Lovely pub with a great atmosphere.

Visited the head of steam on Saturday for food and drinks, atmosphere was lovely and we were served by Mia who's customer service was excellent. Will definitely be visiting again.

Charlotte was a most amazing host on our recent visit.

Had a very lovely experience at the head of steam this bank holiday Saturday. A very lively, warm atmosphere with a great selection of drinks. The bar seemed very understaffed considering the bank holiday rush, despite this, I was served by Mia who provided lovely customer service and coped very well considering the amount of customers she was tending to. Would definitely recommend to family and friends

The photo doesn't do it justice. Food was great, bar service was professional, food service was friendly and helpful. Several vegan options, pictured is the vegan Head of Steam. Very much enjoyed it. A little expensive but great quality. Partner's cocktail was excellent.

To be fair, I am probably not the customer they are after. Cardiff is full of people who are worst for wear after drinking too much, even early on a Saturday, and some will be found here. I didn't actually know it was The Head of Steam, as I spotted the awning with Cask Craft that afternoon. Came back after an early dinner to get a pint, and was disappointed to find very few taps showing any Craft Ale (although I could not really see due to a small crowd standing at the bar). I did however think the Motorhead American Pale Ale was very decent. The food menu looked good, and I may try it somewhere (think I have been to the one in Newcastle, which I recall as being fairly basic pub food). Unfortunately had to make a toilet stop, the urinals absolutely stink. I guess they don't use water to flush them through, so 'it' just sits there. The other half went to the ladies ..no loo paper ...

Great bar with delicious drinks and food, will let you try the beers before you buy as well!! Highly recommend, great atmosphere

Nice bar. Good range of beers on tap. We didn't have food on this occasion, but what was coming out looked good. Pub was nice and clean.

I was in Cardiff for work on Tuesday and wanted a descent beer after a day of meetings. Found this place online and was not disappointed. Great selection of craft beer on tap and in the fridge, even La Trappe Dubbel! Amazing service by everyone who served me too. I'm a wheelchair user and it was very accessible, staff extremely accommodating/helpful and radar key accessible toilet, great. Will visit again when I'm next in Cardiff for work.

Booked out a section of upstairs for my 30th birthday party! The staff were so helpful all the way along in the planning, including helping us decide which buffet option to go for and the amount needed. On the day they were also super helpful I getting everything set up. The buffet itself was great for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike and everyone had good portions, it was a touch expensive, but definitely felt worth it from all the feedback from the guests. As always the drinks selection was excellent and catered to everyone. We wouldn't hesitate to use them again for an event and will always pop in for the choice of beer selection!

Good atmosphere with a great selection at a reasonable price - for a city. It's a small national chain that doesn't have many in the south west (in fact, I don't believe that there's one in Bristol) . It's an American style bar with a British feel. It has more unusual lagers on tap thsn thr usual selection, the standout being the Sagres which I've only ever seen bottled in the UK. I can't comment on the food but you can get 2kg of wings for £32...

Loved this bar. Called in with my partner on a rare night out and was a spontaneous find. Atmosphere was fab and welcoming. The bar man recommended a new rum they had it was delicious. I'd ordered a bottle from amazon before we'd left. Definitely will be back!

Very good beer and friendly atmosphere. You can watch football matches or sports events inside.

Queue now and you may get your order in before the weekend. Slow service..

Great service, out waitress was brilliant. Helpful and friendly

Great atmosphere, helpful and friendly staff. Good selection of Belgian beers.

If you love ales you will love this place.

I had to leave this review on a friend's account who was with me because I couldn't leave another review on the same account- even though its been 3 years! No surprises its got worse! We came for a friends birthday that started at 6 and they brought all the food out at 6pm when the booking started- all the food was stone cold when the guests arrived even though the food was supposed to come out out later!! - the staff were awful, no way of prolonging the food coming out (after not asking when the people wanted food before the booking!!) The staff are so incompetent too! The bar staff are also rude - they don't tell you what the price is before they shove the card machine jn your face! Just generally rude and vule!

Great bar, brilliant atmosphere!

Biggest selection of craft beers and non alcoholic drinks in Cardiff 👌. Foods always banging, quickly served and you can’t fault the service. Friendly helpful people especially if you can’t decide on one of the many many drinks to choose from.

Lovely staff and a great selection of beers ☺️

Lovely food, friendly staff and a great range of beer on tap. Also a mixed selection of sours which were excellent. 10/10 would recommend for an evening out in Cardiff

Absolutely the best pub in cardiff! Great beers, great food and even better staff!!

What a place! Friendly staff, great food, great drinks

Nice music but too loud. Couldnt conversate at a normal level.

Really nice pub and good beer but they need to have more people serving behind the bar on a Saturday. I bought one drink and gave up queuing for the second, as did many others.

Took French friends to game. Door staff had humour transplant. Quite confrontational. Wanted to joke about being unable to come in due to volume and all they did was think we were arguing. Will not be back (they will be delighted i'me sure)

Lovely food and friendly service

One of the nicer pubs in Cardiff, we went on a Thursdays night so it wasn't too busy can't say what it's like for the rest of the week.. We had food and it was really nice...

Nice pint, they have a great range of beers currently, definitely will back again to try more.

What a line-up!? Amazing as always.

Nice pub food with friendly staff.

It's fine, bit of a dad bar though.

What a cracking find! HOS Burger, Pizza and a few pints of beers I’ve never heard of and tasted fantastic. Luke was a stand out on the staff as was Alex. We’ll be back 🤘

What a cracking find! HOS Burger, Pizza and a few pints of beers I’ve never heard of and tasted fantastic. Luke was a stand out on the staff as was Alex. We’ll be back 🤘

A great spot for some drinks with friends, and a fantastic bar staff made for an enjoyable night!

The vegan options were off the chain. Loads of fun food and it all tasted sooooooo good. Staff were super helpful. We had a blast.

Love the food and drinks here. Would be great if they did desserts as well.

Nice Sports pub good range of Beers

A fantastic evening spent here with friends after rugby international. All the staff here were great, from the door staff through to all the helpful staff behind the bar. Beers were good but we didn't eat.

Watched 6N rugby here. Fab atmosphere. Great selection of drinks, even Belgium beer. Had fantastic service from Woody behind the bar. Bar staff were all great and they had plenty on so you didn't wait too long for a drink.

Decent enough pub and a fairly good selection of beers but totally understaffed for a Saturday evening. And an alarming lack of knowledge or otherwise disinterest in the quality of cask ale served. Ordered 2 pints of Brew York. Eggy smell, slightly cloudy and very very flat with a head that separated like the water on a poached egg I know my beer and anyone who’s ever even looked at a cask ale would acknowledge this was off. Past its date / end of barrel Took it back. The bar man tried to tell me it’s “supposed to be flat as it’s on cask” and I had to pay for another ale. Should have been changed and if I wasn’t with a large group I would have stood firm. Left 1 hour later and they were still serving the beer that was off to unsuspecting / gullible punters Will avoid as a result …

Staff so friendly and chatty was a nice relaxed atmosphere! With good food and good choice of drinks and beers. Had a burger and a gyro and couldn’t eat all the food on the plates!

What a great bar. Brilliant selection of beers. I had a local Welsh Tiny Rebel beer which hit the spot. The bar staff were absolutely fantastic particularly the man who served us (Woody). I will definitely be returning.

Nice ambience and good burgers. Large selection of beers and food. Orders are placed via cell phone. Nice team

We love to come here for a drink, there's always something interesting to try on tap!

Große Auswahl, schönes Ambiente.

Rubbish, told on the door its table booking only on match day, and then told the booking system doesn't work anyway. Place was dead.

Great pub in the heart of Cardiff. Always love the variety on offer and its my local for the days I want a jubel larger.

Great location nice decor. Good food and helpful friendly staff.

Woody very welcoming with me and whippet who was instantly loved in this cool bar with great food and beer selection.

Magnificent selection of drinks. Very clean and spacious. Very helpful and friendly staff, was served very quickly. 10/10. Highly recommend.

Great burgers, took some friends there on my recommendation and they loved it.

Great selection of beers available.

Nice atmospheric edition to Cardiff nightlife!👍👍👍

Love the range of beer here, great pub.

Always a good atmosphere here, good selection of food and an extensive range of alcohol!

On December 23rd, 2023, I visited the Head of Steam with friends and my dog. While ordering a drink at the bar, I was approached by a man who immediately began questioning why I was wearing a mask. Despite my explanation, he continued to make derogatory comments and attempted to physically remove my mask. I would like to commend the staff at Head of Steam for their prompt and professional response. The bartender wearing a colorful shirt immediately berated the man and promptly notified security, who removed the man from the premises. Another gentleman in a grey shirt also checked in on me to ensure I was okay. I greatly appreciate the swift and effective action taken by the staff at Head of Steam to diffuse the situation. Their measures to notify other bouncers in the area to keep the man out of their premises demonstrates their commitment to the safety of their customers. Thank you for your exceptional service, I will most definitely be back. Also, food and music was great, lots of vegan options!