The Jolly Sailor in St Albans

The female serving messed up the order and, instead of apologising, argued and behaved disgracefully. I had invited friends to sample the pub with the hope of gaining it extra custom for the excellent Sunday roast. After this, they won't be back. 17.3.24

Being just outside the town centre, TTS an excellent option when the town pubs are likely to be very crowded. Much more a locked than a town pub.

Perfect for karaoke fan! I went on Friday night and it was great.

Lovely place to have a good night!

A pub that has the feel of a "local". Very friendly staff with a good range of "cask " beers. Two bars - shows sport on the screens not not intrusive.

Karaoke night was something special. You need to be there to understand the jolly ambience, it was packed and everyone was merry and having real fun. I will definitely be returning!

Affectionately known by the regulars as Jollyoke, the atmosphere captured by a karaoke night at Jolly Sailor is up there with the best nights out in Europe. Been coming here for over ten years, and will continue to do so for another ten.

Went there with friends. It was such so lovely and we just enjoyed the night. Also the owner is so nice. I definitely recommend this place

Spotted this cool camper van outside 😎

The food was nice and the portions were also very good. The staff was friendly and the pub as an old feeling and atmosphere from some years ago which gives it some charms! Great selection of Ale. Our kids ate almost everything which usually never happen when we go out. Their jacket potato bean& cheese was a winer and so was the fish and chips. The extra portion of sweet potato were some the best i ever had. Not greasy just right. The starter my wife and I had was some southern chicken style which were very good. Then we had roast dinner a beef and a pork. There was a great amount of veggies ut perhaps the meat could have been a bit better tho( i had to find something for improvement) overall a good meal and a good time there. Will go again and i would recommend especially if you are a Barclays costumer as they have some discount with the app which mad the experience even better.

Good vibe, excellent bar staff, reasonable drinks, nice (but small/ cozy) beer garden. A nice local

Went for Karaoke on Friday night, ordered some food which was not too bad at all, and very reasonable priced. The evening didn't get busy until after 10pm, but once it did, it got very busy. Everyone was singing along to everyone's songs, so a pretty enjoyable evening in all.

My friend and myself chose to visit this pub for food and drink. Definitely a local pub for sure

I’m not sure what her name was, think it was Harriet. She had great customer service. Was very professional but made me feel at home. She made my jolly sailer experience very great. Great karaoke. Highly recommend

Nice pub but staff are very rude, got violated unnecessarily. But beer is good.

The landlady is so rude and speaks to people so rudely! We waited in the queue to go into the garden as it was really hot in the pub and we’d only been out for approx 3 mins. And the land lady come over to us and said we’d been outside far too long. So I said we’re gonna go in, in a second and she looked at us with pure disgust and said “ GET IN LIKE NOW”. And then when we got up to walk in she continued to just stare us down with dirty looks. Obviously the pub lets too many people in and they can’t handle the amount of people in there.

Great weekend karaoke though very busy with mini stage to stand on opposite screen which is a nice set up. DJ Flash does a really good job of getting as many singers in as possible and miking people properly. Normal pub prices though there are some steps between the 2 bar areas, to toilets and at the front entrances. Didn't sample food so can't comment there.

After having a similar experience to other people in the reviews with the lady bouncer getting physical I returned after 3 years to only encounter horrible staff and discrimination from the dj. He was trying to humiliate someone from my party by denying them the microphone even though they had been in the queue like anyone else. He decided they wouldn't sing and made sure to say it in the microphone to the entire place. Followed by his completely unwelcome singing in between songs like anyone was there to hear him sing and not to sing ourselves as paying customers. Do not go to this place. Also they make you leave your drink unattended if you want to go outside even though ironically they have a poster on the female bathroom door to watch out for signs of spiked drinks. This is quite sad as this is the only karaoke place in town. It would be greatly improved by a change of the entertainment staff.

Bar staff made you Feel welcome

A screen in view from every seat, with friendly locals, good beer and cheap food. And pritty barmaids is the cherry on the cake

Nice that one of the older pubs in st.albans is still going and very friendly staff and a good pint and atmosphere

Lovely pub/venue. Went in early at 5pm ish. Few beers and food. Food was lovely, pub food, but brilliant. Did our wine tasting at the church and popped back. Love it. Bar staff brilliant, on point and aware. Karaoke, so well run and organised.

Great pub with a great atmosphere

Great pub. Super staff. Lots to choose from on the menu. And all cooked perfectly. Beer served at the correct temperature. What more could you ask for

One of the best karaoke venues I know, Resident DJ and Karaoke host Nick and the other Hosts do their utmost best to please everyone that comes to sing, it can be a wait if you arrive later. I know Nick has to deal with the odd few rude, impatient, drunk people. However all staff are professional and try to accommodate everyone as much as they can. Can be a wild fun night.

I would very much like to respond to the abhorrent diatribe that was posted on here last night from one Helen Coulshed. I am said DJ whom she accused of being racist and would very much like the opportunity to air a few thoughts on this post. Firstly, I am most certainly not a racist in any way, shape or form! I myself am from Jamaican background and take great pride in welcoming each and every one of you who choose to attend my Karaoke events. I strive to create an atmosphere where people feel welcome, have a great night, and most importantly want to return to and from the feedback I constantly receive, I do this very well. I have been DJ’ing at The Jolly Sailor on and off for almost 20 years now and have a great relationship with both staff and clientele alike. I am hired for the exact reasons I have stated above which is why I take great offence to the review that was posted which not only discredits myself, but also the pub. What I find even more interesting is that this “person of colour” as she most eloquently put it was not called Helen. She did come and ask to sing a Karaoke song, was put in the queue, and duly carried out shortly before midnight. I know this to be the case as my software records all the history of every single evening. Following this, I was approached by a member of the bar staff who explained that there had been a complaint about me and that I had ‘ignored’ a request from this “person of colour” to which I clearly outlined that this was completely untrue. Said barstaff then went and spoke to the group in question so I considered the matter closed. 20 minutes later said “person of colour” approached me quite aggressively and said that I really do need to consider my choice of music as ‘quote’ “she was the only black person in the pub and I had only played about 2 seconds of Afrobeats music”. At no point did she ever mention that any request had been ignored (making the inflammatory review on here even more bizarre). What people need to understand is that The Jolly Sailor is a VERY busy Karaoke venue! I often have more than 20 singers in the Queue by midnight (as I did on this evening) which means that the wait to sing can very often be well over an hour. This is very politely explained to all people coming in late wanting to sing and I also do very frequently announce over the microphone that we do start at 9pm and to get in nice and early to get your songs in. In conclusion all I can say is that I really do hope that Helen Coulshed sees this post and can have a serious think in future about what she chooses to post as this is quite simply not acceptable. That being said Karaoke has gone from strength to strength over the last 12 months when I have been back more regularly and I am 100% certain that all of the regular attendees feel exactly the same way. Paul and his team do a fantastic job of running this wonderful pub and long may that continue

Another good review for nick deny here. Definitely not a racist in anyway shape or form anybody that knows Nick will know this for sure is the most welcoming Deejay. You could want to meet makes everybody feel welcome and he’s amazing at his job you doing amazing work Nick!!

Hi Just to add from a comment of racism. The DJ totally isn’t racist and he is one of my closest friends and also I work with him. I am a woman of colour unfortunately wasn’t in the night the lady posted her comment. Can be a long Wait to get up as the karaoke on a Fri/ Sat can be very very busy. Requests aren’t often ignored. I have also run the odd karaoke there.

Racist DJ would not recommend coming here with a person of colour on Friday/Saturday night we your requests will be ignored. Staff responsive upon reporting but DJ needs changing.

A proper local pub, about as authentic as they come. Super service. Delightful staff. Darts. Pool. Televisions with darts and football. A warm welcome. What more do you need from an English pub?

Slay love this pub amazing owner + staff xxxx

Good bar, fair prices, good atmosphere.

Very well rounded establishment

If you want a proper pub with loads going on, head to "the jolly" it's got things going on all week (quiz night, darts, pool, poker, not to mention many screens showing sports. Also, lot's of pub's claim to serve the best roast dinner's, this place really does, you will not leave hungry. Friendly staff and a great atmosphere. Special mention to the karaoke on Friday and Saturday night, always guaranteed a party vibe.

Watched football here. Nice pub, good service and food (hot dog & chips)

Came to the Jolly Sailor after a night out in London for office drinks. Since myself and my colleagues live here and (thankfully) the Jolly Sailor is the last pub open in the early hours, we thought we'd see what it's about. I was not disappointed. Having been in London and endured doormen/bouncers who were just out for a fight, it was a pleasure to find Shaun (who we all spoke to) at the door. We'd come out for a smoke and have a chat, as drunk as we were by this point, and though we'd have a chat he was so welcoming. Inside we found the most lovely staff - I assume all locals - and probably one of the best atmospheres I've seen in St Albans for years. If you're in St Albans after midnight and need a safe haven to have a laugh, and are fond of karaoke, this is the place. Couldn't recommend the place enough.

This could be a good pub but the landlord makes the cardinal sin of not being friendly or welcoming to new faces. Twice I’ve been here now and not once has he smiled, greeted us or engaged in conversation. You know we’re only…. Customers?! The barmaid was very friendly and smiley. Mr landlord if you’re happy with what you have then carry on but a warm welcome to new faces is surely the absolute basics of running a pub! If only ever return if every pub in St Albans had run dry.

Quite a locals pub but very welcoming with a friendly atmosphere and great pub food. Good selection of Brewpoint (Wells) beers.

Nice pub fantastic outside smoking area

Late night karaoke, need I say more

Visited on a Friday night. Great pub , friendly and lively, unusual as splits with a quiet saloon area and a busy , social main bar. Really enjoyed it and will be back

Karaoke on saturday, poker on sunday and quiz night on tuesday. What more could you want from a pub? Its always a friendly atmosphere whenever you enter and the staff are superb! Definitely my favourite local pub.

Great pub. Good food. Good quiz.

I’ve been here a few times over the years. The small front bar (entered by a separate door from the street) is cosy, the larger main bar has become rather seedy. It appears that a substantial proportion of its ‘regulars’ are people with profound learning difficulties and body odour issues, some continually pacing up and down the bars emitting loud screams. Of course a public house should within reason be open to all, but if I wanted to spend my leisure time in bedlam I wouldn’t be going out to the pub. There’s no easy answer to this one - respect to The Jolly Sailor for providing an inclusive local service, but the quiet majority will, I suspect, prefer to go elsewhere.

Brilliant night out especially if you love karaoke. Everyone is friendly

Decent locals boozer. Pool table, darts and a fruit machine. Had two games of football on and was serving food. Enjoyed the vibe and would return.

Hands down best pub in St albans captures the proper Culter of St albans. You will find staff mingling with people, no trouble at all and karaoke will be cheer bad or good singer. Highly recommend this pub to anyone who wants to know what St albans is really about and I've been to all of the pubs here.

Best night out I have had in a long time I song Sweet Caroline and everyone got invited And a big shout out to the bar staff tonight there had there handed full with panties tonight well done guys Love 😍

Avoid this dump at all costs! The girl bouncer with the questionable eyelashes attacked my wife at the weekend. My wife and her friends went to do karaoke and the girl bouncer refused them entry even though the pub was clearly half empty, although she let males in and refused entry for all females. She continued to tell my wife and her friends that were not allowed to stand on their footpath as it was private property and gave remarks about my wives weight and appearance. Completely and utterly disgusting behaviour and it is now in the hands of the police after she followed my wife and her friends into their taxi and attacked her and broke her handbag and also pulled my wives friends hair! A complete dump and would not recommend this establishment to anyone! Avoid avoid avoid!

Turned up and waited over an hour and a half to sing. Still no sign of my song so left. Place has definitely gone downhill and is overcrowded. Carpets are sticky like treacle. There are far better places in St Albans and the DJ tonight is a joke. Thar will be the last time going there for sure.

8th pub on our golden mile attempt at our stag do. Very friendly staff and security, was great fun!

Always great fun with karaoke on a Friday and Saturday which has bounced back post Pandemic.

Great food, reasonable prices and lovely friendly staff. Chilli con carne and Lasagne highly recommended. Proper pub

Solid pub for a pint or two. Good friendly staff. Smells like winning

Went here for a karaoke night, decided to have some food here before the entertainment started. Had sweet potato fries with cheese and bacon, which were lovely and a very generous portion. Prices for the food and drinks seemed very fair to me. Lovely people there, both customers and staff. Would definitely recommend.

Good value food (half price Mon to Wed) but staff focus variable. Scampi meal shown.

Hot food and footy! In the summer too

Busy pub with lots of sports on screen

Plenty of tellys in the bar to watch Premier Football and Greyhound racing from the White City.

Traditional boozer with decent, well priced food, and a good selection of beers. Not many pubs like this left in St. Albans.

Best gluten free rolls with toppings chips salde beers very nice testing

Never go here. My girlfriend and I wanted to do some karaoke, but instead found ourselves worrying for our lives. I will be excluding the patrons, one of which accused me of sweating too much, despite being under a spotlight in an over capacity room. The smoking area had its own bouncer. I say this because one of the owners refused people access to the smoking area if they had a drink. Never mind she was standing there sharing a beer with her friend. Then she said there was not enough space outside, even though there were 7 empty tables outside and 14 people waiting for fresh air! During our stay, a fight broke out among 50% of the pub, to which the DJ just said "another night at the Jolly Sailor!". The staff even remarked it was common place to stop serving for 5 minutes because of a fight, then start again, despite no one being kicked out. One woman was on the floor, clearly knocked out, though the staff made no attempt to move her. I fact, people stood over her whilst the bar staff served them! Don't go. It's terrifyingly tragic in there.

Wow! This is the friendliest pub I've ever had the pleasure of visiting.. went here on my own a little nervous of what to expect, but i had an amazing night out.. met the friendliest of people including all the staff, had a meal there which was excellent.. then enjoyed some proper craft ales and a fantastic fun filled night of singing with the resident dj and karaoke Nick a true pro using great quality equipment. this is what a good night out is made of.. definitely going to be a regular visitor and id like to thank you and commend you for the fantastic hospitality you all showed me tonight.. can't rate this place highly enough.. perfect!

Great pub for a chat and classic pub grub, not a gastropub trying to compete with fancy foods but great quick staples for a fair price. Good vibes and plenty of space for family or friends. Sadly just lacking a real family beer garden but that's made up for by the friendly staff.

Saturday night karaoke is great fun

Always excellent beer and very welcoming.

Nice staff and decent atmosphere

The atmosphere was great and the music too. The most amazing thing was the Kareoke different ages of people was singing

Karaoke at the weekend is a blast. Quite a young crowd. Very busy, don't expect a seat!

Nice food and when went it was 1/2 price

Neck Oil on tap. Nice Christmassy vibes. Separate rooms for different atmos. Lots of screens. Darts and pool. A lot going right with this place.

A fantastic pub had a great night. Thank you 😊

Saturday only later on. Full of younger middle aged types or younger not teens. Noisy Karioco singing dancing heavy drinking. Security evident at door.

Kareoke night is a laugh, good beers on tap from Beavertown brewery

Just a quick stop over as I'm working in the area. Had ham, egg and about five choices of potatoes! Lovely meal and I bet there's a great atmosphere later in the evening.

Excellent Sunday roast beef. Plenty of delicious potatoes, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. 2 big yorkshire puddings. Several generously cut slices of tender beef and 3 veg. I was most impressed and may well become a regular Sunday luncher there.

Great pub with very friendly staff

Had great fun at karaoke, would definitely recommend. I

The place smelt like no one has had a shower for a month. But and extra star for the smoking area. But that's it... Wouldn't bother coming back.

Quiet, friendly, welcoming and relaxed 🙂

Great for karaoke on a Friday and Saturday night!

Great for Karaoke on a Friday & Saturday night!

The chief gave us loads of love. We’d return in a heartbeat

Had a drink here tonight. Very friendly staff and locals. Decent pint.

Nice beer. Fab if you like karaoke

Another Cracking St Albans Pub, Lovely Bar Staff, Handy to pop in before making your way in to town x x

Great local pub, good beer and food.

The food was great value for money and the staff were very attentive. Special mention the manager who moved us to a warmer table. Try the New York Deli Burger it is as big as it is tasty.

Great to be back in the pub. Good choice of beer. Need to book a table currently.

Small very sheltered outside area with heaters. Burgers and pizzas on menu along with sharing nachos, chicken & sweet potato fries. Really good pizzas!

First visit and The best roast potatoes ever asked for more lovely food excellent value and lovely friendly staff thank you we will definitely come again

This Charles Wells pub is tucked away from St Albans’ centre at Stonecross; the junction of Sandridge Road and Harpenden Road. It underwent a major refurbishment in 2008, which shaped the current internal layout - a large, busy public bar, a quieter saloon and a heated outdoor smoking area. The 'Jolly', as it is known, is a proper community pub. It hosts a golf society and pool & darts teams. Also quiz and karaoke nights! Traditional pub food and bar snacks compliment a good range of well-kept ales. Personally I prefer The Mermaid but I can see why this pub is a popular choice.

We have been using this pub for Sunday lunch for a few years . Never go home hungry! Good basic roast and best value around. Kids menu available. Friendly helpful staff. Not a "posh" pub but all people made welcome.

Love this pub, so traditional, so friendly, felt very covid safe too.

Great for Premier league... Good pints

Only past it and my phone said I had been in there LOL

Favourite pub in St Albans. I absolutely love their Karaoke nights💕

Can never say no to some Karaoke (and free pints on matchpint)

Having driven past this place countless times I'd never actually been inside until last week. However a great selection of beers, pool and darts to entertain, and welcoming bar staff all made for a great time. After dinner out we returned for their famous kareoke and weren't disappointed! I'll certainly be returning.

Only come here on a friday and saturday if you want to be mobbed by teenagers.