Bar Soviet

Currently running a beer, food and arts festival. 21 beers from 6 local breweries, local bands,…read moreoutside seating. The landlords have gone to a lot of effort to make this a welcoming pub. Friendly bar staff. Soft drinks for drivers and kids. Well kept real ales. We've got a good local, but if you haven't, or you're looking for a change, it's a great venue. The special events are near continuous, creating a reason to visit almost every day. Sunday - almost all tables reserved from 6pm in the main eating area. Book to avoid disappointment.

One of Bedford's best out-of-town-centre pubs, The White Horse offers a decent mix of comfortable…read moreseating and a more conventional dining section. The pub draws a good crowd on a Monday night for the weekly open band session run by super-talented local musician Mat Roberts, but beware the karaoke on a Saturday unless you're well over 50 or deaf. Extremely friendly landlord too, who often makes the effort to walk around and ask his customers how they are.

The Bear

4.4(10 reviews)

0.0 mi

A true locals pub that makes a change from all the chain pubs in Bedford. The atmosphere can be hit…read moreor miss, sometimes it's a lot of fun, friendly and easy to have a great night, others you walk through the door and feel like you should back-step out right away.

The Bear has been my local pub for 8 years now…read more Its situated on the high street but has a real homely feel to it, it does have a lot of regulars who have been going for years but its has lots of different events such as acoustic nights and the reggae barbecue to get different crowds in. They serve food at lunchtimes and sometimes have curry nights and have a party on Halloween, Christmas eve and New Years eve with a buffet available. The pub has a pool team and poker nights, and you can play miniature football, put some tunes on the jukebox or play on the quiz machines whilst there.

Bedford Lounge

1.0(1 review)

0.1 mi

Now a branch of Tesco Direct.read more

Barley Mow

4.2(5 reviews)

Top marks for this openminded pub/bar. The only gay establishment in Bedford and the favourite…read morehanging out place for the local hockey club. Visited it once since all other places had closed. Gays seem to keep to themselves and don't mind the drunk crowd that barges in after 1am. The place is popular since most other pubs close earlier. Toilets are quite small, the staff are friendly and the music follow the same theme. Don't miss this place if you are out partying in cosmopolitan Bedford.

A friendly yet lively night out. Great drinks deals and to make it even better a massive selection!…read moreThey have Karaoke too as well as DJ's and I did a quiz too the other night. I think I read that pool and juke box are both free on one night a week and Zumba too?! I'm going back soon 10/10!

Pilgrims Progress

4.1(10 reviews)

Fantastic food at incredible prices! Staying in Bedford, and we've already been to this place 4…read moretimes. It's THAT good! Did the baked potato with baked beans and a side salad, which was excellent, then tried the fish & chips! Wow! They even have a type of Happy Hour from 2-5pm, where the food is cheaper, and just as good! Would definitely recommend Wetherspoons and can't wait to try some of their other locations.

WETHERSPOONS MARGIE PIZZA REVIEW!!! - obviously starting off with the atmosphere, ur typical laid…read moreback pub complete with an upstairs and outside! ordering the item born straight from the gods didn't even take un minuto! ...........heading to pizza avenue, 8 min drive baby and ofc from the first bite, THE MAGIC OF NAPLES... SLAM DUNK INTO YA MOUTHSSSSSSSS...... questo è amore the sauce is literally an alpha symbol in its own right, just imagine with the CREAMY SATISFACTION FROM THE MOZZYYY!! a teeny tiny improvement......... a lil less grass would help! DOMINO'S, PIZZA HUT OUGHTA TAKE NOTE!!!! otherwise.......... tornerò!!

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Next day's pizza post review! awesome sauces (x2), see y'all, that's CUSTOMER SERVICE..... or should i say..... LA CUCINA DELLA LEGGENDA!

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Litten Tree

5.0(1 review)

0.1 mi

My partner and I went in here for some lunch whilst out shopping. We are new to the area and chose…read morethis place randomly. We were very pleased with the service and the staff were efficient and friendly. It had a nice atmosphere and was clean. The special 2-4-1 offers are fantastic value, and we were very happy with the food (both quality and quantity) I had Cumberland sausage and mash, and the sausages were lovely and nicely seasoned, the mash was nice and creamy, and the gravy wasn't too runny.. If you want a decent value for money meal, I'd recommend to give this place a go.

The Wellington Arms

4.8(4 reviews)

Once a year or so, whether they like it or not, I like to visit an old school mate and his wife…read more They live in Bedford. Every time I'm there I insist on a lengthy visit to The Wellington Arms. Why? Simple. It is the best traditional, urban pub I know. Anywhere. You can't move for beery memorabilia (no, that's not what you find on the floor outside 'Spoons every Sunday morning, incidentally....), waxed pine furniture and TONS of real ale. These fellas must have 10 on at any one time. Yes, 10!!! As you stand like a rabbit in the car head lamps, they even offer you samplers. Fantastic. The landlord refers to it as a permanent festival. He's right, check out the website. A great home from home & a place to cherish. I can't believe it hasn't been reviewed before. Real Ale Drinkers of Bedfordshire, put down those Fairport Convention albums and get off to The Wellington now. Yes, NOW! You'll be wondering where the time goes......

A very excellent pub located on the edge of the centre of town . Fifteen taps selling a wide range…read moreof guest ales . Very welcoming and comfortable . Service very good . Easy to access . Well worth walk from town centre .

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Coach House at The Ship

4.7(3 reviews)

•£££

The Ship is a rather unassuming place from the outside and is something of a rarity in Bedford town…read morecentre, in that it's actually very nice. Log fires and real ale are the order of the day, along with a good selection of whiskeys. It's a great place to have a quiet drink during the week (unless you happened upon our charity pub quiz the other night), but really comes alive at the weekend, especially during the summer. I've been on several occasions when it's impossible to move due to the crowds. This gem of a pub hides one more little secret though. That secret is the Coach House at the back. A tiny room housed in an off-shoot of the main building holds around ten tables with maximum seating for around twenty people a night. Very nicely decorated and lit, it's a lovely place for both a romantic dinner or a party for ten. But what makes this place different is that you cook your own food. And what a superbly delicious idea that is! Although the starters looked good from the menu, both @Mooley and I decided that we wanted to head straight to the main course to sample the steaks we had heard so much about. Whilst waiting for them to be prepared we indulged in a glass of rather nice Rioja each, though neglected to make a note of what it was we were drinking. Dinner didn't take too long to get to us, and what a sight it was! The picture really doesn't do justice to the sheer scale of the food we were given. As we have similar tastes, both @Mooley and I ordered the 8oz Aberdeen Angus fillet steak, chips and vegetables, with a side of onion rings. But this was no pub grub. This was food the likes of which I've not seen in Bedford before. The homemade chips were of an enormous size, but didn't suffer at all for it. In fact the outside was just the right amount of crispy and the inside was fluffy and white. The seasonal vegetables were numerous and flavoursome, and the onion rings were spot on. What can I say about the meat though? It was as thick as footballer's wife and sizzling as it was brought out on top of a volcanic rock, which seemed to have been heated up to the temperature of the sun. The top and bottom were nicely browning, whilst the middle was red, soft and absolutely stunning throughout. Despite consistent cooking during the time it was on my plate, the rock simply served to lightly blacken the outside and give a wonderful texture of crispy and soft. The inside of each slice of meat I cut was then placed for no more than a second on the rock before being doused in stilton sauce and popped in my mouth, where it instantly melted on the tongue. Without a doubt it was one of the nicest steaks I've ever eaten and my hat goes off to both the restaurant and the supplier. Despite being stuffed from the enormous main course, I couldn't leave the restaurant without sampling a desert. @Mooley didn't want one and simply ordered a rather good black coffee whilst I tucked in to my lemon meringue tart. After finishing our coffees and filling up our wine glasses we headed into the main bar to listen to the rock jam session happening inside. A very nice way to round off the evening. As you can probably tell from what I've already said, I absolutely adored the Coach House. The decor, the atmosphere, the reasonable price and the wine, but mostly the absolutely stunning food. More people need to know this place exists and everyone within a ten mile radius needs to pop in and give it a try. I can guarantee you aren't going to be disappointed.

After walking around Bedford for an hour trying to find somewhere for a drink when we stumbled upon…read moreThe Ship.once in the door we traveled back in time. The low ceilings , the smell of the 400 year old open wood burning fire. I fell in love with it. Te drinks were well priced . Great whisky selection and comfortable ambiance. We had a totally relaxing afternoon and a good few rounds were consumed. Would go back again. Love old pubs

George & Dragon

3.0(4 reviews)

0.1 mi

I have a bit of a split opinion on the G&D. It's a really nice place to go for an post-work pint or…read moreearly-evening drinks but at the weekends it gets too busy and the music blares out so that you can't talk to anyone. Overall a decent pub.

The George and Dragon is a very lively pub and is popular with the 20/30s crowd…read more It plays a lot of R'n'B music at weekends so is a fun place to go if your into that kind of music. It has a large beer garden with outdoor heaters for those who smoke and it also has a very large function room upstairs which is ideal for renting out for special occasions, i went to a 21st Birthday here and the music and food was really good. It serves lunches too but i haven't tried these so can't comment on the quality of the food.

Bar Soviet - pubs - Updated September 2026

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Barsoviet UK

3.0

Bar Soviet has never been my first choice of pub in Northamton town centre, but I have been in…read morethere a couple of times over the last few years when the choice wasn't mine to make. Unfortunately, every time I've been in there I've been less than impressed with the drinks available and more importantly, their prices. With that said, they do offer some interesting Vodka drinks that would certainly be worth trying if you ever find yourself there. Personally, I find the pub itself a little tacky with the decor and unless you go in during one of the busier times you may very well just turn right around and walk out again. All-in-all quite disappointing in comparison to some of the great pubs, clubs and restaurants on the same street.

This pub is quite small and there aren't many places to sit so the bar area gets really packed and…read moresometimes it is just impossible to try and get to the bar to get a drink. When you do get your drink, it normally gets spilled everywhere because there are loads of people pushing in around the bar. It is always really hot in there and in the summer, about 10 minutes is all I can manage as it is just too hot. They do offer a good range of flavoured vodka shots which is the main attraction, but the drinks on the whole are expensive, and there is another vodka bar further down the road which is less expensive and a bigger pub. I find that it looks as if it could do with some updating too. It used to be a great little pub, but I feel it has gone downhill and not really moved with the times as other pubs have appeared and become more appealing.

Hobgoblin

3.5

•£££

This is a great pub which is really nice to hang out in especially in the summer when the front…read morewindows are wide open and you can sit and watch the world go by. The pub mainly plays rock music and often has live bands to go and see. They stock a good variety of drinks and it has a really friendly atmosphere and some very cute bar staff too, if you need a quiet moment you can go and talk upstairs as it has a large floored area near the toilets and it has good games machines too plus sweet machines for those moments when you just need minstrels! The pub can get crowded though and it doesn't have enough sitting, also there is no beer garden so you have to smoke out on the high street and no drinks can be taken with you.

Other than the bear, this is the only real option if you want to move away from cheesey pop and…read morer'n'b music towards more rock & indie along bedford high st. Drinks are a reasonable price for the area and the place fills up at the weekend if you want a lively night out. During mid-week and the daytime its usuallypretty quiet so not ideal for an afternoon drink.

The Rose

3.6

(7 reviews)

My absolute favourite spot for a pint in Bedford. I have come here multiple times with friends and…read morehave never had a negative experience. The sheds in the garden make for a nice, intimate setting to sit with friends and socialise as well as the wider garden being having a great atmosphere when it gets full on a Saturday night. The beers from the tap are always good quality and the service is always good relative to the amount of people at the bar. It tends to get packed in there as the building the very narrow, especially by the bar so it can get a bit claustrophobic during busy hours. However the bartenders always handle it well and quickly get orders out during even the most busy periods. I can't comment on the food they serve as I've never ordered but overall by experiences here have been more than excellent and I will continue to come here for a long time.

A disappointing approach to COVID, together with poor beer and average food. There are far better…read morepubs in Bedford.

Moon On The Square

3.3

•££££

Like any town centre based Wetherspoon pub, offering food & drink at such low prices attracts a…read morecertain number of undesirable characters. Fortunately, this one is split over two levels with most of the power drinkers congregating around the bar area on the lower level. Good value food & drink. Comfortable environment (away from the bar). Located in the heart of the town centre in the market square, next to the very large Chicago Rock Cafe. Very popular in the evening also with people taking advantage of the cheaper drinks before moving on to other 'more expensive' destinations

The Moon on the Square is situated right on the market square in teh centre of Northampton and in…read moremany ways is a typical Weatherspoons restaurant with the food that it serves and the drinks that are available. There is one main difference though, this bar has no music being played on any night and has been a non-smoking pub long before the smoking ban, so it has always been a pleasant place to go and have a quiet meal with the good quality food that you'd expect. Just in case you think that you'd get bored of the company you keep when you go out for a meal, there's a decent range of fruit and game machines in the bar too, which seem to be on some kind of rotation and they're always changing what machines are there. In summary, this is a great pub to go to for a meal or to use as a meeting place for a night out, but isn't usually the most lively of places later in the evening.

The Fat Cat Cafe Bar

3.8

Although I've never been to fat cat's for a meal during the day, it has always been a local…read morefavourite for a lot of people starting a night out. This can make it a little crowded on busier nights such as Friday and Saturday. This is a good puc for many reasons, including cheap but good quality drinks, excellent cocktails, friendly staff and it's central location,. With four of the main clubs all within a 4 minute walking distance, you don't have far to go It's a very relaxed kind of pub that you wouldn't feel out of place wearing jeans and t-shirt or something a bit more dressy.

Great food during the day! This is a really relaxed town pub…read morewhere you can spend the whole day & the night. It does get a little crowded at night, but no one thinks anything of it if you are still chilling out in your work clothes having a laugh! Quite modern and trendy but really homely too. Fab pub

Baroque

4.0

(2 reviews)

Baroque is the perfect little venue for a chilled drink with friends or as a start to a night out…read more It's right in the centre of town and a short walk to both the more hectic nightlife of Bridge Street and the Royal and Derngate theatre. The decor is trendy and contemporary and the drinks prices reasonable. I have also been here whilst shopping on the weekend and it was the perfect little retreat from the hustle and bustle of Abington Street.

I think it's fair to say the Baroque Bar is a pub-crawl pub. These guys want you in and after one…read moreround, too small for regulars, not intimate enough for couples, the busier the night the louder the music to encourage you to drink up and move on to the next one in the chain. That mentality seems strange but it's proven to make this type of pub and location more money on a Saturday night. Because of that the bar staff are female and cute but the beer and booze prices expensive to compensate, three bottles little change from a tenner. The bouncer is polite and proudly clicks away on his clicker like a timekeeper at the Olympics, although they do like to queue you up to pretend its busier inside sometimes, the old tactic of a bar that relies on looking 'in' and 'cool' to make its corn. But with a good atmosphere and a reasonably easy to get served at bar it's an ideal in and out bar for busy nights with pretty girls. If you do get a group of lads in their it can be very noisy. Situated smack bang in the town centre it sucks up customers from all social classes' with the clientele tending to be 18-30, although less 30 and more 18. But Northampton is not the most middle-class town and so there are no heirs and graces to be had in our bars. There's an extremely small smoking area where the bins used to be and a great place to chat up the opposite sex. Without this area the pub would lose punters. The upper floor is toilets only and as the rather exposed stairway passes up and over the main bar area, guys can see up the girl's skirts for half of the ascent so make sure you are wearing clean knickers girls.

Bar Citrus

3.4

(5 reviews)

As mentioned below it's quite a way away from the other pubs and clubs so it is one of the less…read morebusy bars at the weekends. In my opinion though that's no bad thing as you can actually go there with some friends and talk to one another (I knowcrazy past-time isn't it). Never had any of their cocktails so can't judge but the beer tastes good and the prices are reasonable. :-)

Bar Citrus is the only pub/bar on Harpur Street in Bedford…read more It has more of a coffee shop style to it than a pub though as during the day its filled with council workers sipping lattes. It serves food though i have never eaten here so i cannot comment on the quality but a few friends eat here so it must be ok. In the evening it is still very quiet, people tend to go here for cocktails as they do a wide range but its not really party central and attracts an older crowd. Its a bit too quiet for me, if i am going to a pub i want to feel like i can laugh and not get told off!

Waggon & Horses

3.0

(3 reviews)

Slightly dodgy pub in my opinion. Reminds me of a western saloon. You walk in and everyone looks at…read moreyou, and it is almost like the music stops playing! We didn't feel comfortable there at all. We felt compelled to have a quick drink, which to be fair, was a very nice ale, but the atmosphere was not to our liking, so we left as soon as we could. Not for the faint hearted in my opinion!

Really nice pub, good selection of drinks and they let me leave my car in the car park over night :)read more

The Picturedrome

4.3

(11 reviews)

Refused to give me a refund for three tickets (all over 18s) when we were unable to go to a gig…read morewith my daughter as she is 16. They claim only under 18s don't get refunds but they flat refused to refund the three adults! Appalling lack of customer service and very short-sighted to lose repeat custom.

One of my favourite pubs in northampton, definitely recommend- especially if they have something…read moreshowing. Parkings a bit of a pain- but i'd be getting a taxi if you're heading for a drink anyway ;) Drinks are cheap, and theres a pretty good variety, my only criticism is the bar is a little too small on a friday/saturday night when the second bar isn't open, so you might be waiting a while for a drink. Perfect for pre-drinks before heading into town, as it's only a short walk away to the main drag, and that way you can avoid the mega busy times. TopTip is to head up to the smoking area/top balcony (at the back and top of the screening room) It's not usually too busy, and the seats are much more comfy back there! Smoking area's not covered but its got a cool view and some ambient interesting lighting!

Red Lion

3.0