Great atmosphere with great food at very reasonable prices.And of course great beer. Proper pub read more

The husband and I came here to get a beer and ended up having a great time! We met lots of nice people and enjoyed the atmosphere of the bar. Beer was as expected. Prices were average. I was so glad we stopped here! read more

The Exeter is an Eden of lost self esteem and broken hearts. This is the place where indie musicians dump their hot art student girlfriends so they can go out with other hot art student girlfriends. Spending a Saturday night at the Exeter is like watching feral animals trying to mate in the midst of a stampede; it's horny, brutal, and very few people get out alive. The beer garden out the back is kind of like a grotto, or a feral greenhouse, very humid and noisy, and packed full of wildlife. There's a rhyme on the back of the girls toilets door that says 'Mick Mick, with lips so thick, rock and roll me till I'm sick.' That's what The Exeter is about. You get in there and rock n roll until you're sick. It's the perfect place to have beers and listen to good tunes with your mates. If you're a needy or insecure girl between 18 and 25 and you're looking for a boyfriend, steer well clear. It's a jungle in there. read more

Exeter Hotel - Bars Near Me - Adelaide, SA

The Exeter makes the best pub veggie burger in Adelaide. A quality bread roll filled with marinated tofu, tomato, lettuce, alfalfa spouts, carrot, guacamole (which I omit) and a home-made chilli sauce served with chips. It doesn't get much better. 5/5. +++ VEGAN-FRIENDLINESS -- You know what, I've never looked passed the tofu burger. There may be other vegan options on the menu, I'm just ignorant of them. You should be too. Go the burger and buy me a drink to thank me for the recommendation. read more

Sometimes I'm embarrassed about enjoying The Exeter. I really kind of like the place. It's not much to look at, but... I know a basketballer who hates The Exeter so much he makes sure to leave everyone in dour spirits before he takes his leave of the pub itself. I don't know why. Perhaps he wants everyone to hate The Exeter as much as he does. If you know someone like this, don't bring them, and you'll enjoy yourself just fine. It's a place to sit back and enjoy a quiet drink and some meaningless or profound conversation with your friends, or with people you've just met. I need to know a person before I can understand what they're shouting in a loud environment. I'm terrible at communication until I've learned a person's inflections and habits. Here, at The Exeter, is where I learn them. Then, if we want to blow our ear drums, we go to The Elephant. And I say that because the music isn't always very good here, and the dance floor is almost nonexistent. Sure, the place might look like crap as well, but for what I come here for, that doesn't affect my opinion of the place too much. read more

Exeter Hotel - Bars Near Me - Adelaide, SA

See all

The Exeter is the type of place your average uni student might go and I certainly did when I was one of them. Now 30, I still go and have never been made to feel out of place or unwelcome. The beer garden with its robust wooden furnishing and event-poster bespeckled walls attracts more of your hipster/muso crowd. The garden has an indoor feel but it is open to the elements somewhat and I've been rained upon seated here. The side room is good for pub-grub and your late 20s-early 30s type, or anyone who actually wants to hear themselves talk. You can peer through the windows to the beer garden, and I once gave a thumbs up to a dude with a portable bike he'd managed to tuck under one of the tables through said window. A lot of the time many artists exhibit their work in this area of The Exeter. The outside areas are also good for people who want to chat over a pint. Most Thurs-Sun bands play in the front seating area or in the beer garden. The bands/solo-artists are not always rock, but the majority of the time they are certainly loud. I don't know why, the spaces don't seem to warrant the ear canal crushing volume. There are two bar areas. The front bar (the westernmost) and the back bar (the easternmost). Each has an appropriate door. The front bar is the smaller and when busy (which it is often), is a nightmare. The front bar has as much staff as the space can handle, and they're doing their best, but there's just not enough and you'll wait an age. The back bar has a lot more room for staff and punters alike. When it's busy service is, of course, slower, but it is faster (and less crowded) than the front bar. There's seating at the bar and standing-about room for people to have actual conversations, which I appreciate. The back bar is another area where it isn't all that loud. Late at night when not so busy, or in the afternoons, the staff will share a joke with you in this area. As has been said the toilets would have to be cleaned up to be considered vile, and the quantity of them (1-2) is inadequate. If that's the women's toilets I can't think what type of cesspool the men's is. The rest of the place is clean and tidy, which might explain why the contrast of the tiny, graffitied, vomit-laden, toilet-paper-riddled toilets are so disappointing ergo revolting. read more

Exeter Hotel - Bars Near Me - Adelaide, SA

The Exeter was probably the first bar I'd ever been to, for the sole reason of being able to get in when I was underage. I've had a lot of good memories at this bar, commonly involving my friends and I putting together any sort of pocket change we had to share a jug of beer. It was our haven for underage antics, until the government cracked down and forced them to do regular ID checks. By that time I was already of legal age and, sadly, once maturity kicked in the Exeter lost a lot of charm for me personally. To be fair, the Exeter's not all that bad. The beer is cheap, I've heard the food is good, and they pull together some pretty cool local live bands. If you're a people person, you're going to love this place because the Exeter is consistently packed throughout the week, a social hotspot if you will. Otherwise, you're going to absolutely hate this place. This is definitely not the kind of pub where you can sit at the bar and have a quiet drink with a friend or two. Beware - the Exeter has a serious hipster vibe going on that has the potential to scramble your bullshit filter. And if you're not there before 5PM, don't even bother trying to get an outdoor table out the front - that stuff is cutthroat. Thankfully in the past few months they added a whole row of tables around the side of the building, but even still, you'll be lucky to secure yourself a spot on a Friday or Saturday night. read more

Exeter Hotel - Bars Near Me - Adelaide, SA

the Exeter goes to no effort to impress with unnecessary upgrades, keeping the interior, building front, and all furnishings as original as possible... and this is why everyone loves the place. The Exetor used to be my favourite pub in Adelaide, and is an ideal place to have a quiet beer during the day. The friendly bar staff are as down to earth as the outside facade, and keep your glass half full without the fuss. Perfect place for a cold beer on a summer's afternoon, when the windows are open, or outside on the deckchairs. There is also an upstairs balcony overlooking Rundle Street, which extends as a dining area with separate bar. I recommend Currie nights Wednesday and Thursday, but it usually pays to book ahead. I know you should never judge a place by it's patrons, but when did the Exetor become so fucking pretentious? My other frustration is it has become a bit too overcrowded in the last few years, and as the anti- smoking laws I becoming more strict, finding a spare seat here on weekends is becoming more of a logistical nightmare. I can see this puts added pressure on the already grumpy security staff. A great pub for enjoying a relaxing beer during the day, but a nightmare at night. The only restorations this place needs is the attitude, and their best bet would be to start from the outside in. read more

Exeter Hotel - Bars Near Me - Adelaide, SA

The first thing you need to know about the Exeter, is that it's a pub. That might sound a bit thick, but that's what it is, all of the time. Being a pub means they serve alcohol and some food. There's a bar for traditional beer-in-hand conversations. There's tables for groups and couples to sit casually and chat. Bands play in the intimate stage area. The bar staff, when not too busy are always up for a laugh. This is what makes a great Australian pub. A meeting place. A watering hole, without being a gimmick. My favourite time to be there is the afternoon, preferably in winter. It reminds me of my childhood. Rainy afternoons in old bars with the crackle of tyres on wet bitumen in the background, it's strangely comforting. My other favourite is hot stormy nights in the beer garden. You can see the humidity as cold glasses of beer sweat out the moisture in the air. You never know who you'll run into on a steamy night at the Exeter, a bit of lightning always brings out Adelaide's most interesting people. The rich smell of tobacco has faded, but beyond that this is the way I remember pubs. Nothing fancy, my favourite city drinking spot. read more

Grungy, dirty, laid-back, and well-priced. By far, my favourite pub in Adelaide. They do $5.50 pints of Coopers (it changes each season - this winter it's Dark Ale), and absolutely killer chips. They also let you BYO food when the kitchen is closed, we discovered this weekend. They run a curry night on Wednesday, which is surprisingly delicious and housed in their upstairs seating area. Their beer garden has been a favourite haunt for years, though their alleyway seating at the side is a favourite in summer... and they have a fireplace for huddling around during the winter. The choice of seating is yours! For years, this has been our go-to for a beer (or seven) after work, before a film at Palace Nova, or with friends before dinner. And now, it's our first stop whenever we visit home. Ex, you're the best. read more

I've been to the Exeter a couple of times and I always feel a bit out of place there. Whether it's because I don't play in a band, am not nor have ever been a uni student or my distinct lack of facial piercings/hair . . . I always feel a bit too preppy for the environment. I didn't spend my live music/pink hair years in Adelaide so this probably says more about me than it does about the venue; I don't have that fond nostalgia for it as many of my friends do. I would simply prefer to be somewhere else for a drink and a chat. It's almost wilfully shabby as though stubbornly refusing the gentrification trend sweeping Adelaide's streets clean and driving punters up to the west end of the city and into laneways and pop up bars. I'm too old for rank graffitied toilets with no paper, pressing through people to get to the bar and the only names on the gig posters I know are the old stalwarts who are still rocking from the 90s or on comeback tours. That said, I got a bowl of chips and sauce and a drink for a reasonable price and the company was good but it made a far cry from Bread and Bone where we had come from earlier in the evening. It's a pub that keeps it real which appeals to a lot of people. Just not me. read more

I'm sure there will come a time when I feel too old to be drinking at the Ex with the hipsters and students, but hopefully I have a few good years left in me before that happens, as it's one of my favourite pubs in Adelaide (and the sort of pub I mourn the loss of in Melbourne's inner city). Beer is cheap, it's always vibrant without being packed (never failed to get a table), and the music-poster covered walls give it a laid-back shabby vibe which seems to match the clientele, not to mention makes it the perfect place for a drink before or after Adelaide's many festivals during Jan-March (you can pick your next fringe show from the posters on the walls while discussing the one you've just seen!). read more

Exeter Hotel - Bars Near Me - Adelaide, SA

Wow, haven't been here for years! We came here for a gig (best band in Adelaide, 'Rule Of Thirds' :P) out in the 'beer garden' ... it wasn't particularly garden-esque, so not sure where the title came from (possibly because our friend reminded us it used to be a smoking area?). Good points: Cider on tap, supports local music, chairs and tables in the 'beer garden', toilets nearby. Bad points: Said toilets very very grotty (or maybe that was just the clientele on the night?). The Exeter is daggy in all the right ways - not recommended if you're looking for a bit of class, but great if you're after nice drinks in a relaxed place with live music. Oh, and 24 hour carparking nearby at UPark, which is handy ;) read more

I love this pub. Killer wine list, lots of tables for playing cards or reading street press. Friendly staff, reasonable prices, always a familiar face. Snugly warm fire in winter and lots if outdoor spots for summer. Try the house sparkling Shiraz (only $20 a bottle!) and make sure you go to the ladies *before* you're busting....there's almost always a line up! read more

Man, this place is good. Can be a little overrun with 'in crowd' kids, but has a killer wine list if ever you're wanting to impress a quaff from out of town. Keep an eye out for their curry night, upstairs. Feeling cold? Go hover over the fire place. Is a great, alternative, and relaxed place down the east end of the city - perfect for loosening the tie after a hard day in the office and for reigniting your beer swilling youth. read more

Get The Exeter away from me. OK maybe I'm being a little harsh, it's just that if you like to go out and do something with your night, if you're tired of talking and you just want to go dancing, if you like to get in and out of the bathroom without feeling like you've contracted something. Then get The Exeter away from you too. It's dank inside, there's barely any room to sit in the weird little beer garden, if you're not drinking beer then expect people to look at you strangely. I honestly cannot bear this place on a Fri/ Sat night and I know quite a few of my mates are going to hate me for saying that. But, the seating out the front is quite nice on a warm summer evening during the working week, it's a nice spot to share a jug of beer with your friends and watch the world pass by. And if you do brave the bathroom, at least you have a wold of reading material plastered all over the walls. read more

This was one of those pubs that in days gone by I would while away my time with friends drinking a beer, or trying to squeeze through the crowds to purchase a beer at the bar. On my recent trek back to Adelaide I had to pay this pub a visit and all I can say is that nothing has changed (except of the lack of smoke due to the laws). Getting a seat here can also be a challenge in itself. There is an enclosed beer garden out the back, but if you are a smoker, then unfortunately there is no smoking out there. The bohemian also hasn't changed. This pub certainly brings back a lot of memories. read more

Probably my favorite pub in town and certainly the best thing going on the east side the Exeter caters to a broad demographic of people, especially those slightly on the left hand side of Normal. The covered beer garden out the back is decked with long broad wooden bench seat tables, which cater to the sharing of jugs of ale between rowdy parties of conversant individuals and the walls are plastered with bill posters for every act you could imagine decent enough to take the time to visit Adelaide. A staunch supporter of the local art and music scenes and, I might add, poker machine free, the Exeter has achieved a status of iconographic significance amongst Adelaide locals. The work of local artists frequently hang in the lower dining room of the Exeter and on Friday and Saturady nights, rock and punk musicians set up directly on the floor in the room adjacent to the front bar and plug their wares. Despite it's semi-alternative nature, the Exeter is also somewhat of a culinary sensation, serving up a very decent menu, as well as having its own world famous (perhaps a slight exaggeration) Curry night at which a changing menu produces some superb and often interesting Curries. Outside, the front and lane-way side of the Exeter are chock full of tables,despite this, however, during the summer time it is often impossible to find a table due to the persuasion of patrons to seat themselves outside, partly to take in the ambiance of Rundle st and partly due to the abundance of smokers. The beer of choice here is Coopers, and method of imbibement is via jug. If you are looking for something sweet with a swizzle stick in it you might be best to try elsewhere. read more

I'll keep it short and sweet. Cheap drinks if you're cash strapped, fab hangout for uni students (was one of my regular haunts circa 2006!). Low key hangout where you can get in even if you're wearing sneakers a flannie and a beanie. Rare in Adelaide's CBD! read more

The Exeter is an establishment that represents all Of Adelaide. Whether you went there 15 years ago with your pals for a beer or still currently enjoy the atmosphere live music and delicious food (see Facebook for details). The Exeter has always been my go to place to catch up for a beer with friends. Through the 6 years of going there I have never had a bad experience. The bartenders are lovely down to earth, the beer is fresh (I guess because they are so popular). And the security is fantastic, always there to help and guide the 'too far gone' people into cabs. When I am dating and a guy suggest to meet at the Exeter for a drink that goes straight away into my pros column. Not only do they serve some fine tasting beers and wine but I've even had a lovely cup of tea there free of charge while I was waiting for a job interview down the east end. This place is a landmark for Adelaide, I would always highly recommend it. If you are looking to meet true adelaidians (or radelaidians) this is the place to be. You will find people from all walks of life at this great establishment. With lots of room inside with its historic bar or a nice seat outside to watch the passers by. I can say with certainty if you are drinking alone you will be sure to make friends here as it is that kind of place where everyone is equally happy to enjoy a jug of coopers with you. Drinks 10/10 (just make sure you know what wine you are ordering) staff 10/10 always friendly and atmosphere 10/10 thank you Exeter for always being there. read more

So as old mate Moe L mentioned, the Exeter is, in fact, a pub. Not a 'gastro pub' (like that's really a think we should find appealing anyways...) or a pokie filled financial black hole, no. The Exeter is a place to drink beer, catch up with mates and maybe listen in to some live music. I really like the Exeter, and it's not just because the drinks are super cheap. The vibe is relaxed and contrary to what other reviewers have said, I've never really had trouble with 'hipsters' getting up in my grill here. Sure there are people who are here to see the bands who seem a little quirky, however they certainly aren't the pretentious kind of faux hip tossers you can find at other 'cool' venues. Sure it's dirty and grungy and -sorry ladies- but there never seems to be any toilet paper in the loos, but the witty graffiti lining the toilet walls kinda makes up for it...but the Exeter is a great dive bar in a great location with well priced drinks, friendly staff and a friendly crowd - what more could you want?! read more

The Sailor Jerry Spiced rum is the most expensive in Adelaide - if not Australia or the world. At $8.50 AUD per 30ml shot it's just a rip off. read more

You can buy beer here and there is a hot barkeep. Hot barkeep Dave that gives perfect head... On the beer! Tee hee!

Crap decor, dated as hell, a little bit shifty but it's a great pub for cheap drinks and non-pretentious patrons. Oh, and try the duck pie, it's amazing! read more

Cheap drinks, although not a huge range. My friend always complains it's full of hipsters, but most of the people I find here are pretty friendly. Nice and casual... I like it! read more