Excellent pub outside of Carephilly. It was exactly what we were looking for. We travelled to…read moreCardiff for a Karate tournament and were staying nearby. It was an excellent tasty dinner in an old Welsh pub. The staff was super staff and cheerful. There was a great selection for dinner. Our order was traditional meals with steak pies, fish and chips, and burgers. My wife had scallops and sea base, and my son had salmon. We then loaded up on the desserts. I had the chocolate brownie with cotted vanilla ice cream. We left a big tip. They earned it.

When I think of a pub, I would never associate classy, rustic, and countryside views with it…read more Maenllwyd Inn begs to differ in those aspects. The interior itself is cozy with a combination of stones and wood accents everywhere. I spied a beautiful patio where the scenery has no obstructions. We, however decided to stay indoors and got a nice corner round table by the window next to the fireplace. Adding to the homey feel, the gentleman who took care of us was jovial and friendly throughout our wonderful lunch here. I started with the STILTON and PEPPER MUSHROOMS on a brioche bread. I was swayed to try this granted that this is an English cheese produced only in the UK, similar to blue cheese in strong smell and taste. What a superb dish! The FISH and CHIPS was also the best I had on this trip. Perfectly crisp batter on the outside and a flaky moist white fish inside, every criteria they nailed. Even the chips were just the right thickness with not a single one of them soggy. A very fitting last meal in Wales that was pleasant and memorable.

My wife and I went here while looking for somewhere local to have lunch. The name initially caught…read moreour interest so we thought we'd give it a go. We were incredibly pleased with how lovely the place is. Great outdoor dining area, and incredibly cosy inside. The staff were incredibly courteous, and the food was just unbelievably good. I'll admit, when I first ordered, I did think that they were a little expensive. However, it turns out that was because I was expecting the food to be of a lower standard. What they brought out to us was worth every penny. This is a fantastic little place, a hidden gem. Worth driving over an hour to go to, seriously.

A proper local pub- the welcoming kind, not the local people only kind. There's a real open fire,…read morethree different Welsh bitters on tap. When we were there for a wedding reception they'd put a buffet on which was excellent, much better than I might've expected to be honest. If you're there, make sure to have a chat with their pet parrot. She's in one of the back rooms and is usually happy to chat with customers. Because it lives in a pub it's been taught a wide selection of rude things to say, and it wolf whistles (usually at men), so maybe don't introduce her to the kids.

This pub is on the egde of Caerphilly town, and is a Brains pub…read more If you like sport, this is a good place to watch it. Lots of TVs, special deals on beer / food on Welsh rugby match days, credit crunch specials, etc. Definitely a good place to watch Wales play if you dont want to go into Cardiff city centre.

lovely restaurant, food was absolutly amazing, i had a full mixed grill and my fiance had a chicken…read moresomething.... food was ready in about 15 minutes, staff were very very friendly and value for money was excellent. thank you so much, i will try your sunday lunch nest time because that looks very nice :)

My family and I often stop at The White Hart in Llanddarog on our way to Pembrokeshire. It is a…read morebeautiful thatched pub with excellent pub food and their own brewed beers. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.

Firstly i will tell you that this is likely to be an expensive experience - but well worth the…read moremoney for a treat now and again. It is a beautiful Thatched Inn, built in 1371. It posseses open fireplaces, and a choice of cozy tables for 2 or 4, and long tables for larger parties in the back. HRH Prince Charles, Dylan Thomas have both visited here, to sample the beer still brewed on the premesis. The food is pricey, but what a meal you get for your money! A huge plateful that would be enough for two! the most reasonable is the Roast dinners, approx £10 a head. The walls and ceilings of the Inn are covered in memorobilia, from horse brasses to farming tolls, there is enough to occupy your mind while you wait for your meal. On your way to the loo you will encounter a full suit of armour, and in the back are fish tanks, and a talking parrot!

No-one ever passes through Gwaelod-y-Garth. Unless you live there, you need to make a special…read morejourney. The Gwaelod Inn is worth that special journey. The village of Gwaelod-y-Garth lies midway between Cardiff and Pontypridd, a hamlet of fewer than 500 souls in the middle of nowhere, but within a 15-minute drive of half a milion people. Even many Cardiffians don't know of its existence. The village lies on the eastern slopes of the Garth Mountain, a 1,000-ft giant that guards the entrance to the Rhondda Valleys and that was made famous by the 1995 film The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain starring Hugh Grant. The Garth cradles the Inn lovingly in its bosom. (One of the pics will give you an idea of how the village lies.) The village began life in Elizabethan times as a source of iron ore, and was given a new lease of life in the 19thC when ore became wedded to coal. Many of the dwellings in Gwaelod are old miners' cottages. Such is the layout and context of this hillside village, that new houses are, thankfully, difficult to build. Owing to its monoply of village pub business, the Inn has always been a locals' meeting place. But until the present owners took it over, it languished sadly under a period of poor management. Now happily order has been restored. Barbara Evans and her partner Richie have carefully refurbished the Inn and converted the upstairs into a fine restaurant. Yet the flavour of a locals' local has not been lost. A good-sized room is dedicated to pub games with darts and pool prominent, and these games give way to live entertainment on a regular basis, with Soul, Blues and Jazz acts often appearing. The pub has fully embraced village life once more, holding events for children such as a Halloween Party, regular Charity Nights, and more usual events such as Quizzes. Apart from the Bar, there is an L-shaped Lounge which is really two rooms. The walls have been exposed back to the original stonework, and they are adorned with interesting old prints of the village, and antique bric-a-brac representative of old Welsh life. Log fires roar as soon as it gets cold, which is often. Drinkers can enjoy Hancocks HB, Otley Ale (brewed in Ponty!) and at least two other guest ales. There is a good choice of wine by the glass. Bar meals can be enjoyed downstairs, prepared by the same hand that graces the upstairs restaurant. The menus will always include local specialities: at the moment for example you will find Welsh Laverbread with Bacon, Roast Garth Mountain Lamb, and Vegetarian Glamorgan Sausages. Sunday Lunches are very popular and feature a choice of 7 dishes to start and 10 mains. The Home Boiled Ham with Parsley Sauce is a delight. What more to be said? Ten out of Ten.

If you're looking for a small country pub just a few miles outside Cardiff the Gwaelod Inn is the…read moreplace for you. I went there recently with my mum for lunch and had a great time. The lunch menu was varied and although not cheap the food was very good value. As it was lunchtime we both settled for just a main course, mum having the sea bass with braised fennel (£15) whilst I had the beer battered cod fillet at £9. For those of you who like beer this is a real ale pub and on warm summer evenings I imagine it would be an ideal place to sit outside drinking a pint!

This is a great country pub, located on the mountain between Caerphilly and north Cardiff…read more I think its a free house - wide choice of trad beers. A good menu too - curry is a speciality. Popular at weekends with people out walking / cycling around Caerphilly mountain and the common. Close to the Travellers Rest, but is much better pub. Combine a visit to this place with a walk around the area and you'll have a good day out.

Visited this pub last week. Really could do with a sort out…read moreoutside. From car park you have to go over a little bridge which was overgrown and then walk around to the front, passing by an old picnic bench area, the smokers shed etc. Before finding the door in. On a brighter note the food was really good. But it is no wonder the place was empty when no one can find the way to the door. If I hadn't been there before I would have got in my car and driven somewhere else.

I am a regular at the Port 'O' Call even though I live 5 miles away. It is set in the country and…read morehas been refurbished. The service is first class and the staff are extremely polite and freindly and absolutely nothing is too much trouble for them. I have eaten there on many occasions and have never had a complaint about the food. The have a wide variety on the menu and it is always cooked wonderfully with very good portions. I especially love the Sunday lunch and is great for those with a big appetite! The prices are great and the meals are excellent value for money. They often have live entertainment, there is a pool table and great outdoor eating/playing area. Wide screen TV. They have a big car park. They also have a function room to hire and I believe they do not charge for this hire but you would need to confirm that. All in all I would recommend the Port 'O' Call.

A useful venue if you wish to refuel after a round of golf at nearby Peterstone Lakes. A gastropub…read morerising from the ashes of an old-fashioned local, it has been refurbished and reopened by a partnership of experienced pub managers and restaurant owners. It requires a 2-mile detour off the A48 between St Mellons and Cardiff. The menu offers a fair choice, ranging from bacon butties for breakfast (perhaps with golfers in mind), through to more substantial dishes later in the day, including pan-fried venison steak with red wine, mussels in tomato and herb sauce, fish and vegetable pie, roast duck breast with orange sauce, and bread and butter pudding with custard. £40 for 2. There is a good choice of real ales, which included HB and Speckled Hen on my last visit, a picturesque pub garden with outside tables, widescreen tv which implied the availability of sports events while you eat and drink, and its split-level layout features an upper gallery where you can sit down and survey those below.

A cracking pint of rhymey ale at a keen price, a warm welcome and easy parking - the junction is a…read moreproper friendly valleys boozer and just the ticket if you're in the neighbourhood and fancy a pint. Not sure if they serve food, but the do have a TV and a handy location alongside Hengoed railway station.