Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans

Favourite pub so far, great food, perfect atmosphere!

Had an amazing birthday party here. Went to see the manager a few weeks before to explain my needs, and he listened and executed my request perfectly. A great atmosphere, ample space, great service and food. Thanks for a wonderful time 💫

Unfortunately packed due to an event. Worth a visit though

Delicious food. Typical old English pub. I didn't see the rooms

Been here many times before, had a Great time here today, enjoyed a nice drink by the River, the weather was lovely, and there was a great atmosphere! Will be back soon!

not remotely the oldest pub in England not even the oldest in st albans Silly prices disinterested staff playing with their phones and inside stinks of cooking What more could you not want ?

Had a fabulous night here last week, massive thanks to Tony, Janet and the rest of the team for looking after us so well. The food was superb too, highly recommended!

One of the oldest pubs in St Albans that serves great food and has a large selection of beers.

Delicious Sunday Roast, lovely atmosphere

Beautiful old pub with good food

Have had another amazing afternoon in this wonderful family pub. Amazing food incredible atmosphere and staff that literally can’t do enough for you. Thanks again to Maria and Claudia for your amazing hospitality not just for us but our little four legged friend. Perfect place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon and the food is spectacular ! Always packed full of happy people and our favourite Sunday lunch destination. Incredible !

It was insanely delicious Great lines

Lovely place, live music on a Friday night.

A lovely pub with wonderful views. A warm welcome from the staff and an excellent chef, Alan who is helpful and knowledgeable and produces excellent meals. Thank you

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks – Dating back to 793 AD, this pub claims to be the oldest in England. It has survived wars, plagues, and royal scandals—plus more than a few legendary hangovers. It even has a secret tunnel leading to the cathedral… perfect for escaping both enemies and last orders. 🍻🐓Lovely pub !

The servers were very accommodating as we didn’t have a reservation and they found us a nice table. We had halloumi fries which were nice and salty, we had a cheese garlic bread which was large and plentiful, we had a portion of chips and they were nice enough. The hot buffalo wings were really nice and saucy with a punchy spicy flavour. We had to order another portion of halloumi fries because they were so nice and the peri peri mayo with them was also delicious.

Interesting pub, and not just because of its history. It was one of the coziest pubs I've visited so far. There are fire pits in the pub, the pub has a quaint decor, and the staff are extremely friendly. I really enjoyed my beer here. Cheers

We visited for the day the Roman/historic sites of St Albans. There are many…and after an exhausting day we stopped to recover in this historic, atmospheric and ancient public house. Claudia greeted us warmly with a big smile and proceeded to tell us about its interesting history. We really enjoyed her descriptions and our short stay and appreciated her help. We would thoroughly recommend you include this pub in any visit to St Albans.

Delicious Sunday lunch! Excellent service! Beautiful pub, absolutely full of character.

Cannot rate, only walked by. Looks good from the outside! Great for a photo for the album! Who wouldn't want a picture in front of the oldest reputed public house on Britain?!?

Just dropped in for a drink. Lovely old genuine pub with good beer

We went on last Friday Lunch and served by a young Lady during a very busy Lunch post Christmas, everyone is a bit tired she really looked after us and made a special effort to put our Hollumi Chips and Whitebait in take way tubs. They were both really tasty. The bar man made me lovely Bloody Mary. I wish everyone there a great New Year! Nick.

Beautiful pub, terrible service. On holiday from abroad and visited St Albans before Christmas. The waitress who served us told us that the kitchen was closed and got annoyed when I queried why it was closed as the time. (She said it closed was 4pm but it was 3pm at the time). Furthermore she wanted to bring the bill for our drinks as soon as we sat down to order them and then got irritated when I put a log on the fire to stop it from going out. Needless to say we paid for our 2x drinks and decided to spend our money elsewhere.

Lots of history and idealic spot. Beer selection isn't great.

We went there Christmas eve without a booking in the hope they had a table for 4 for lunch. It was busy with reservations but some free tables. Service was great, the food amazing. Excellent experience overall. We were early, so I'm sure as the day went on, it would have got crazy, but we had a great experience. Thanks.

Delicious food, a nice experience

Hear ye, good folk! Most splendid (is that a word used 1300 years ago) mulled wine while its venerable walls whisper of history, and it perches on to the park makes it a haven for weary travellers. A finer spot for cheer and rest, thou shalt not find!

Amazing location, food and staff. Great fun.

We held our ukulele Christmas party here and the food was absolutely delicious and it all came out hot too which given there was so many of us, was a great effort by the service team too. Well done and can’t wait to come back!

I'm not in your usual minority of locals and tourists, giving you glowing reports on your pub. Because i didn't have a good experience, i had the feeling they really didn't want me there, i was moved from one table to another ( a small one in front of the bar with small stools, the server did get me a normal chair) despite the server walking past the menus twice, not picking one up and after waiting five minutes still not get a menu and not even asked me for any refreshments. With 2 then 3 members of bar staff behind me (not working, taking among themselves) they didn't even noticed that i was there. I entered and left the building hungry with not feeling about. I used to be in the catering and hotel industry, I can understand that you was busy but you had enough staff to cope with it, when i could figure out the difference between staff and customers.

One of oldest pub in England very authentic.

Great pub, shit lager I'm sorry to say but I did i could drink, we spent a couple of hours here wonderful atmosphere, dog friendly and human friendly too

One of the best pubs in St Albans and worth the trip down the hill.

Very nice pub, if you are looking for traditional pub, that’s it. The menu is simple but food was good, nice location, next to canal, cathedral and park. Perfect place to stop for lunch or drink.

Popped in to warm up from a walk in the park. Great staff, lovely welcome and service.

Stopped in for a nice lunch after visiting the cathedral.

Super food, service ( Claudia and team),so dog friendly, history which is amazing in a wonderful part of England

Beautiful place, very characteristic framed by a typical English atmosphere. Fantastic location at the foot of the cathedral and next to the ancient Roman ruins on the lake. Barmaid a little rushed and annoyed even though the place was practically empty.

Friendly staff, well priced drinks. Nice amount of game’s available to play. Dog friendly

Love it, love the character, amazing historical building. Great beer selection.

went today after they had promised they had amended their bad taste supposed Halloween decorations. Yes they are amended and are worse. Despite being education by a suicide prevention charity and so many people saying how upset the image had made them.. the upped the anti.. Now a noose is around the neck of a body bag.. I just cannot understand how a community pub cannot listen to the community it serves. Whilst they seem to have no understanding and there are many that don't have issue with this , to ignore all of those that have been very upset as well as the suicide presentation charity is irresponsible and immoral. Hanging bodybags are nothing to do with Halloween!

offensive and non community spirited pub. Care more about publicity than their community. Disgraceful

Quite possibly the best chicken wings ever!

We sat in the garden, lovely atmosphere and busy, doggy heaven lol

Great food, ales selection making it a great pub

Beutyfull pub, rustic style. Excelent location, Beutyfull area, tasty food, good selection of drinks.

Excellent bar food, beers, and great walks nearby to generate a thirst and appetite. Highly recommend. Suggest you book if visiting at weekend.

Hard to find and no parking. The pub is very rustic but a great pub crawl experience.

Beautiful, classic old pub with great atmosphere and food ...

Amazing happy staff service amazing food delish love this place

Very old pub with great interiors. You can learn a lot about pub’s history there and drink local beer. Big outside area

Very old pub with original furniture and decoration. We visited on a Sunday and we only had a drink here as the kitchen unfortunately closed at 4 pm. We will visit again when in St Albans.

Stopped off here for some lunch and drinks while visiting Verulamium Park. I had heard about the history of the pub and really wanted to visit. We had some lunch and drinks which were very nice and very reasonably priced. A nice piece of history and there are some really old items dotted around the bar. With the low ceilings and timber beams it really gives you that olden feel to the place. The outdoor area is quite large with plenty of benches and a fire pit area for colder nights. Well worth a visit.

Lovely pub right to Verulamium Park. One of the oldest in England.

Was served by EMILY What can I say such a lovely person and made me feel so at home. Need more of this everywhere !! Best customer service I have ever had by far

We have visited this venue before and were wowed by the beautiful surroundings, quality of beers and wines and the service. This visit was radically different; although the quality of drinks was good, the service was deplorable. Despite five staff working behind the bar, people were ignored in favour of diners and those waiting in another bar. I saw a couple walk-out and, after failing to even get eye-contact or any sign that my presence had been noted, I abandoned the thought of a second drink and went elsewhere. If a business needs to run several bars in the same establishment, surely it makes sense to allocate individual members of staff to attend to those drinking in each bar?

Review is based on beers in the garden which was a great experience. Beer was very reasonably priced, outside space was perfect for an impromptu family gathering and table service was excellent

It's a lovely and nice place for a family day out

thank you for everything, we will return

Lovely beer garden and live music on a Sunday which was enjoyable.

Brilliant service only got to see the outside due to time commitment but one day if I ever sail past these yards again will be sure to drop in for a swiftly pint and maybe stay a night keep up the good work let the good times roll

Ye olde worlde surroundings of a very old pub on the edge of the Vermullen park. Nooks & crannies abound, although nothing special to look at, in reality. Good sized outside area for summer chilling too.

Great pub.. I found sid from toy story to be rude but my friend said he was helpful so we will give it 5 stars

We visited Ye Olde Fighting Cocks Pub for the first time in August as a family, and every one of us absolutely loved it. As soon as you step into this wonderfully old building, you're transported back to a different era. The atmosphere is captivating, and the authentic pub ambiance is thoroughly enjoyable. We ordered food and drinks, which were good, but what stood out by far was the incredible chips (not fries). They were perfectly fried—crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside. Exactly how you imagine perfect chips should be. The icing on the cake was the friendly service that just rounded up this very pleasant experience. If you haven’t been there, you should definitely give it a go. And if you have, then you’re probably going again. I know we will.

Great old pub with awesome&improved patio.

Decent & cosy pub with awesomely lovely staff.

This is reputed to be the oldest pub in England. Good food and drinks

Great selection of drinks, with amazing food, and a great atmosphere all around

Great atmosphere. Live band with country music 🎶

Fantastic food in a cozy pub atmosphere. Perfect for families, visitors, and locals. Possibly the oldest pub in England? Highly recommend.

Despite living in St Albans for 24 years we’d never been in Ye Olde Fighting Cocks. We went on Saturday 3d August as a friend of ours was playing in a band there. The pub is really well laid out with loads of outside seating space. As it was their annual mini music festival it was busy but the staff were absolutely brilliant in taking drinks orders from the tables outside. We thought we’d get a bite to eat and discovered they’d cleverly created a paired down menu of just 4 items – two pizzas, a burger or a hot dog. It meant that waiting times were kept down and our party enjoyed a mixture of well priced food. The security staff were very friendly and as the evening went on seemed to be on the ball without being in everyone's faces. We never had to wait more than a couple of minutes to be served at the bar and the staff were amazing. I thought the drinks were very reasonably priced and they didn’t skimp on measures when it came to mixtures. Sorry to sound like a stuck record but the staff were brilliant! Would definitely go again.

Great selection beers with plenty of seating inside and outside.

Went there for a family lunch. It was a busy time but I thought that we were forgotten. The staff were polite and friendly and the food was good pub grub. It's a pub NOT a hotel.

We had our wedding reception here on 4th May this year and we were very lucky it was glorious weather wise so we had our Mediterranean buffet in the beautiful garden. We can not say enough positive things about the pub, the staff and the food! We are forever grateful to each staff member for helping make our wedding one that all our guests said was the best they'd been to! The location is exceptionally beautiful next to the Verulamium lake and cathedral just behind. Ronan and his team are the loveliest people, thank you so so much!

Lovely pub with great location😁 Strongly recomended💫

A good lunch in the garden, friendly service.

Good pub, friendly service. Enjoyed a beer in the pub garden.

The oldest in UK! Awesome selection of Ales and all. And! LEFFE Belgium's finest on draft

Yummy Pizzas and great historical pub.

Very nice place to visit in St. Albans. Different zones with character inside and amazing area outside. Happy to visit them every time for different occasions.

Friendly service, offered a taste of a local brew on tap, ended up getting a couple pints and sitting outside. We didn’t stay in a room but glad we popped in for a tipple.

Only had a drink will be having food next time,looked really good

Near Verulamium Park is one excellent pub to relax.

Went there to have a drink in old pub, it's a great view not far from cathedral, lovely walks around the lake not 2 minutes away, the drinks were were excellent, they do sell non alcohol, and coffee all day. There are low ceilings so mind your head. There is outdoor seating to drink and eat there, it is dog friendly pub too, the service is are very kind

A great place for a pint and some chips. Recommend sitting outside in the summer as there's a lovely view of the park.

Yasmin was just 10/10. Absolutely lovely, with amazing service and a brilliant personality. She really made our visit

Worth visiting, just to see the timber structure, with such an interesting history. Pub garden with nice views, some over park. But passing trade from park visitors, makes chances of noisy or crying kids arriving, seem high. Keg beers are a bit pricier, than at some other nearby pubs.

Highly recommend. Excellent service and delicious food.

Only went for a couple, the sun was out the area was buzzing plenty of folk in the pub but was served quickly and enjoyed.

Great Sunday pub lunch in the sun.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and lovely Guinness.

Lovely old pub in a great location. My beer was £6 something which is how it seems to be everywhere, so nothing out of the ordinary.

Popped in for lunch after doing off of the local Verulamium sites, and was very surprised to see we'd bumped into another historical gem. Reportedly to be one of the oldest pubs in England, serving alcohol on site since the late 700's AD (although the building on site is significantly more recent), and having once served as a resting post for Oliver Cromwell himself, it makes for the perfect spot to have a few drinks and lunch. We had wild boar sausages with mash potatoes, greens, and gravy. One of the better pub lunches I've ever had and at a pretty decent price too. We didn't have a pizza but we kept seeing them be made and they smelt delicious too.

Excellent beers. Lovely beer garden

I love this place. Such character in the building, a nice location and nice staff.

Enjoyable atmosphere, great pizza and cold beer

Great atmosphere in this pub, where you find yourself transported out of time.

Visited the Ye Olde Fighting Cocks Pub for after walk drink. It's situation on the side of the park with stream running along side. Large pub with sitting inside and out, my one star down is the outside sitting could do with a refit. The member of staff who took our order of four different drinks, wine, gin, beer and coke with request for each, was very professional and made them all perfectly, costing £19.05. It had nice range of real ales which always a good sign to me of a well kept range of drinks. It was little busy but getting drinks were fine. I would recommend a visit.

Popped in for a pint after the St George's parade. Sat in the garden as inside was full of diners. The food looked great. The garden has lots of seating. We were a little put off by the heavy metal soundtrack outside, so we moved on to somewhere a little quieter.

I did not eat here so I can't comment on the food but great place to stop for a pint