A lovely local pub in Winterbourne Down…read more This has been my family's local pub for around 20 years and it hasn't changed one bit. It's still as charming, still has the same locals, still the same landlord and, I think, still the same roaring log fire. The Cross Hands doesn't do food, but it does do lots of guest ciders, ales and a brilliant atmosphere. The landlord and landlady (Pete and Lesley) are great (Pete is the spitting image of Peter Stringfellow - with open shirt and hairy chest) and make you feel like part of the furniture - which can make leaving quite difficult at times! Friday nights are good fun. Typical local pub style. A bit of cheese on the jukebox and a good mix of young'ens and old'ens to keep it interesting from one end of the pub to the other. But the best thing about this pub isn't its huge back garden. It isn't the fact you can use one of their massive BBQ's and bring your own meat/food. It isn't even the regular events they hold in the summer with live bands and cider in boxes. The best thing about the Cross Hands is the pub dog. A beautiful Staffordshire Bull terrier who has the gentlest demeanour and wonderful personality. She'll pin her belly to the ground and wiggle her way over to say hello. All the while snorting like a little pig. She has her own arm chair and sits with the locals who play cards on the big round table from 4pm every day. This is a lovely little boozer that has a huge garden for the summer and wonderful warm log fire for the winter. As it is out of town, you can knock 40-80p off the price of pint. A must if you're in the area.

They dont do food here mate ! But you can bring your own and cook it up on one of the complimentry…read morefree bbqs ! This place has tons of character and a great choice of beers ciders and ales all at a very reasonable price. There is a beautiful big garden out back or benches out front if you fancy just sitting and watching the world drift by. Pete the barman is one of lifes winners always there with a warm welcome and a joke or two for you to enjoy. Stick a lepord print thong on him and marvel at the way he transform into Peter Stringfellow oh yeah ! All in all a class bozzer in the country.

The Vittoria can be found along the stretch of trendy-looking bars on Whiteladies Road, but it's…read morenot quite like the others. The pub is popular with the locals, features guest ales and is pretty small so draws a completely different crowd to the others here. If you're a rugby fan, visit this pub as they show rugby before football and if you just want a decent pint and none of the trashy dance music you'll get with other bars in this area, The Vittoria is a great place to come out.

One of the oft-titled 'trendy' Whiteladies' Road's few traditional pubs, the Vittoria has recently…read morerepainted its facade from an unassuming burgundy to bright red. Before you accuse a drinking stalwart of trying too hard to keep up with the times, the colour change luckily hasn't affected the atmosphere within. The Vittoria remains as unpretentious, laid-back and characterful as it was was before. There's a wide selection of drinks, a faithful crowd of regulars and entertainment most nights of the week ranging from a quiz (with free curry doled out while the answers are checked) to steak or sausage tasting nights. Undoubtedly ne of the best places on Whiteladies for a quiet (especially weeknight) drink.

I can understand why people like this pub: it serves good food, is aesthetically pleasing, spacious…read moreetc. However, I get the impression it's a little bit too aware of its apparent greatness. I've only been here twice, but both times I've felt distinctly uncomfortable in the place. Its agenda is undoubtedly in line with middle class wine drinkers and it lacks a certain spontaneity. What's more, prices here are pretty extortionate. You could purchase a good quality bottle of wine from your local off license for the price of one small glass at The Windmill. Food is also expensive, although the Pieminister pies are definitely worth sampling if you're willing to fork out £7. Basically though, if you're not one for conservative pubs, I'd suggest you steer clear of The Windmill.

This is another pub that's affiliated with the Bristol Beer Factory, having ales like No. 7,…read moreSunrise and Red on tap. I first came here just yesterday, and completely loved it the minute I walked in. The bar staff had heavy thick moustaches, which I later read that was for a moustache competition.. I was sold. Any pub that welcomes kooky, fun on-goings, has my vote. The atmosphere here is great, and it is the sort of pub for the locals around that area, which always provides a pub so much more character, mostly due to the colourful natures of the people that come in. It is quite big, and has a little hidden-ish room on the left of the bar, and on the right, down some steps, is another room with a fair few couches and tables, and also an outside covered patio area! Food here is around £5 - £8 pounds, which upon initial viewing is a tad steep. However we were hungry, so we went on an ordered some anyway. You get cute porcelain animals as a table marker after you order - bonus points from me here. My mussels in a white wine and cream sauce with a basket of bread was really good, and for the £6.95 I paid for it, fully worth it. The winning discovery of the night however, is Tom's pies, made in Dartmoor. If you have read my Pieminister review, you will know how big a fan I am of them.. but Tom's pies blows Pieminister out the water! The lamb moussaka was absolutely divine. The flavours inside really made you go 'aaaah'. I will most certainly be coming back here again, and although it is not exactly very close to where I live, it is definitely worth the trip.

Best 'local' pub in the area. Also worth a visit for holiday makers. Traditional decor. Frequented…read moremostly by locals. Good choice of real ales, changed frequently. Very busy on match days for big screen rugby. Resident hosts are Gareth and Jane. Caters for smokers with heated, covered patio area. Outdoor seating with brook view and children's play area. Ducks and ckickens add to countryside ambience. Food superior pub fare, menu changed often. Ample parking. Great local walks.

Really nice tasty food very friendly and helpful service the chips are excellent been here a couple…read moreof times and defiantly will come again

We squeezed in here just before they rang time after a Christmas meal. They were welcoming, even at…read morethat late hour, and despite serving a rather warm glass of orange juice (how does OJ even get warm in December?) It's small inside and the locals are very local - in that they look as though they would fight for their pub if they needed to (wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing I suppose). It is unremarkable and so like every other pub, but atleast it isn't a soulless trendy wine bar (as so many place on nearby Whiteladies road seem to be). The front garden is packed with tables and all very well if you're a smoker or it's summer (or both). The beer and larger, including locally brewed Cheddar Gorge Best - a fave with my ale drinking buddies.

The trendy bars of Whiteladies can be a bit underwhelming at times (not least because they're not…read moreall that trendy) and the Coach and Horses is a welcome contrast to them. It doesn't try to be anything in particular and because of that is more or less your average traditional pub. Don't let the grand building in which it's housed in lead you to think this place is particularly posh - whilst is in Clifton everything here is plenty down to earth. There's sports shown sometimes but it's certainly not a sports put, too sedate and localish for that. The staff are friendly enough without being too obsequious. The lack of any strong character means you get a nice mix of students and locals that rub along together well. Range and price are all right, with the usual pub grub on offer. Well placed for a post stroll round the downs pint.

The Blue Flame is a Nailsea institution. Whereas some pubs seek to turn their establishment into a…read moresleek contemporary lounge / bar, the Blue Flame cracks open barrels of rough cider, throws some stuffed badgers in the door way, and invites all farmers nationwide to take part in a bit of bridge. It's bloody brilliant. The pints are always straight from the barrel and absolutely fantastic, and the locals are always a great laugh. The decor of the place resembles a blokes house that he converted into a pub, which might sound off putting, but it emits such an incredible charm that you cant help but fall in love with the place. There's a huge outside seating area which is essentially half a football pitch thats well kept and great for children. The location is slap bang in the country, with little but cows and horses for miles around. It's a great bike ride in the day to get to, and certainly a taxi ride at night (no buses in these parts my laaaad!) This is a unique pub, and very special. If you fancy treating your mates to a great night out, then you wont be disappointed mingling with the locals and getting a bit of hops in you.

A great traditional English pub. Not the biggest inside, but ample room for those that venture out…read moreto get here. It's on the edge of town essentially in a country lane surrounded by fields. There's a decent beer garden for when the weather permits. There is always a good selection of cask ales and ciders plus a few standard lagers. It's worth the effort to get out here.

This is a really great pub, tucked away on the outskirts of the city centre proper. The owners are…read morean amicable bunch and as such, the vibe of the place is really friendly and inviting. The interior is all dark wood and old fashioned furniture, which just helps to add to the homely feel of the place. There's a good variety of local ales available along with the standard range of pub drinks, so there's pretty much something for everyone. Although it sounds like a fairly standard kind of place, the one thing that really makes the Royal Oak stand out from other pubs is the skittle alley in one of the back rooms. The staff are happy for you to give it a go and you can even hire it out for a skittles party with your mates. Otherwise, if you're after somewhere in this part of town to go for a laid back drink in the afternoon or early evening, then I'd recommend giving this place a try.

A great pub with tasty food. The burgers were fantastic and the beers were great too. The bartender…read moreMatt was really helpful and great to chat with. A perfect place to eat after a long day.

I nipped in here on Saturday night. I wasn't personally bothered but a lot of my mates wanted to…read morewatch the non-event England qualifier (for a tournament they'd already qualified for) and this was one of the few pubs that was screening an internet stream. I didn't realise it had been done over as I haven't been here for years, but it's much nicer now, with a large bar to one side (with loads of ciders) and everything's been stripped back to a basic wooden finish. They also have a sport-focused TV, while the biggest improvement is the addition of a second room which acts as an overspill for footie fanatics. A cut above your average sports bar.

One of the few Clifton pubs with sky sports, The Greyhound is a little bit more down to earth than…read moremost places round here. It's recently undergone a refurbishment, ripping up the carpet and giving everything a bit of a clean. The result's a much nicer pub, with lots of wood on display. There's two rooms, with the back room often a bit quieter when I've been there. Nice to have the choice and it means the place can still be bearable if its full of football fans. Add the beer garden on sunny days and you can be sure of finding an atmosphere to suit your mood. They do live music every now and then. It's a nice venue for something quiet, but obviously all depends on whether they manage to pull in a decent act. Although with a good selection of beers on offer you might end up not minding too much whatever is played. Looking a bit fresher but still retaining plenty of character, The Greyhound is a lovely Clifton pub.