Cafe Jazz is unique bar-restaurant which offers something that few other Cardiff bars offer: jazz…read moregigs in a fairly unpretentious setting, plus good food and decent wine. You could easily walk past without spotting this place, but look out for the Sandringham Hotel and it's just next to it, with a red sign. The evening gigs include a weekly jam session, and regular jazz gigs organised by the Cardiff Jazz Society and the Preservation Jazz Society. The line up is pretty varied, from ragtime bands and blues bands to acoustic trios and Latin jazz - featuring some incredibly talented musicians - and not all of them 'old blokes' as one reviewer says (I've seen plenty of groups including people in their 20s upwards, so it's a real mix). There's even a small dance floor where some people get up to shake their booty during some of the livelier gigs. Beyond the bar and slightly separated from it is the small restaurant area where you can still hear the band without it being as loud - so you can still enjoy a bit of conversation over supper. The food is very reasonable, too - both in quality and price, and when I last had ate there they had traditional bread pudding with ice cream on their dessert menu!

I have a soft spot for this cafe. It is, admittedly, not the most luxuriously decorated of places…read morein Cardiff centre, but it's quite a fun and comfortable little dive. There's usually something a bit different going on here, and you can find live music and other performances on many night of the week. They have a full bar (and are in fact more of a bar that a cafe - deceptive naming, I know!), and do serve food. The food isn't really the best, considering there are so many fantastic food places nearby, but the atmosphere can more than make up for this on a good night. The staff here are very friendly and there can, on popular nights, be a great air of community spirit in the air. I once applied for a job here, and although I didn't get it, they sent me a very nice letter to say so, rather than just sucking my CV down into a pit of oblivion. Polite and different.

This is such a lovely spot for a pub, and The Old Duke has been here for absolutely ages. They…read moreshare an outside courtyard with the Llandoger Trow opposite, and I found it so cute when I saw that they identified their pubs glasses by allocated paint spots at the bottom of the glasses. The Old Duke is a jazz pub, and they have so many nights on every week with different live acts. You get the feel of this immediately when you walk in, with all the posters and newspaper cuttings stuck to the walls. Unfortunately I've never managed to catch a live act here - I've seen them set up enough times though, but seem to have always had to rush off before the band starts! This pub is great to hang out, whether it is in the courtyard in the afternoon or sitting snugly inside at night.

This pub gets crowded, hot, and loud - but, with very good reason: everyone wants to be here…read more Located down on the waterfront just along from the Old Vic Theare, it's a classic old pub that has become legendary among jazz and live music fans. Named after Duke Ellington, the pub lives and breathes jazz music which is on offer every evening during the week and on Sunday lunchtimes. Take a trip here for the atmosphere; sit and gaze up at the ceiling papered with old concert posters, grab a drink from the extremely friendly bar staff, and hear some of the best toe-tapping blues and jazz around - free of charge. Crowds tend to spill out onto the cobbles of King Street during the interval, especially in the summer months. It's an absolute must-visit for any fan of jazz and old traditional pubs. You'll soon forget the fact that you're jammed shoulder-to-shoulder with a hundred other people all trying to get to the bar; the live music and atmosphere more than make up for that.

Southbank is playing host to 'Bristol Through The Lens' from 21 May until 9 June. This is the next…read moremajor event to be hosted by this versatile and multi-faceted space, in an on-going rolling programme of impressive events. It is also home to the South Bank Arts Trail, (which I'm sure used to be called the South Bristol Arts Trail before it took on the name of the key host venue). But it's not all about art here, there's other stuff too; everything ranging from keep fit classes through to workshops take place here as well. It's open throughout the day and has a great little caff run by a group of very lovely ladies... great if you live in Bedminister or Southville and want to avoid East Street and the city centre, but still fancy a coffee and a cake.

This social club has slowly been metamorphosing in to a local hub-and arts venue for the last few…read moreyears that still manages to maintain its working-class roots with nary a hint of cloth cap or whippet. Inside you'll find big rooms and scuffed wooden floors. It's a good place to rub elbows with the local community or blow in from the city centre for some authentic atmosphere and cracking gigs. Afternoon is local time and you'll find Bristol's finest coddling a pint and setting the world to rights, but come the witching hour local deejays and mashed visuals guarantee that you'll get your dancing shoes on. There's also a strong folk-music thread to this venue - though the £10-ish ticket price can deter those with a leaner pocket, but aside from that, it's a really friendly soggy-beer-mats and skittles place with a tumbledown-cred of its own.

The Turner Sims concert hall is a public concert hall on the University of Southampton Campus. It…read moreis a nice venue offering many different acts. I saw a wonderful rendition of peter and the wolf by a group of students.

From the owner: Turner Sims Southampton is a nationally renowned concert hall and live music producing…read moreorganisation. With over 75 promoted concerts a year, the venue plays a significant role in the creative scene in the South of England. The 350-seat venue based on the University of Southampton's main campus hosts a wide-ranging programme with particular focus on classical music, jazz, folk, and global music. It can be hired for recordings, rehearsals, broadcasts and events. Turner Sims is part of the University of Southampton and gratefully acknowledges the support of Arts Council England as one of its National Portfolio Organisations.

Our first night in Bath and we were looking for a pub experience. We had read about Garrick's Head…read moreand gave it a try. They have several local ales on tap and some "Real Ale" cask conditioned for a traditional experience. Sadly, there was no roast beef when we arrived so we'll have to wait for the classic Sunday roast. Steak and ale pie, and a butternut squash pie were good substitutes. This is a popular spot, especially for outdoor seating. We sat inside in a cozy dining room but if the weather is dry outdoors is a nice option. Our first night in Bath and we were looking for a pub experience. We had read about Garrick's Head and gave it a try. They have several local ales on tap and some "Real Ale" cask conditioned for a traditional experience. Sadly, there was no roast beef when we arrived so we'll have to wait for the classic Sunday roast. Steak and ale pie, and a butternut squash pie were good substitutes. This is a popular spot, especially for outdoor seating. We sat inside in a cozy dining room but if the weather is dry outdoors is a nice option.

Found this spot from Rick Steves's travel book...and a great pick! Just on the outskirts of…read morecentral Bath, this delightful classic British pub has lovely interior with whimsical decor yet classy at the same time. Service was a confusing at first, but was just swell once we were seated...the leftside is a side is a traditional sit down restaurant service, the right side is a classic pub style where you order everything at the bar, and the expansive outside patio is self service as well, a completely taken over by smokers and vapers like every other European patio. £20 FISH & CHIPS! The fresh beer battered haddock was thick and crispy on the outside, and moist and tender on the inside, perfection!, The chips were pleasant enough, though crushed minted peas were just okay...maybe because they day prior I had some incredible mushy mint peas at another pub. Still a great plate overall! £20 SHORTCRUST PIES...wife went with the Chicken, Leek, and Herb...wonderfully rich and savory, with flavorful scent and warm, buttery pie crust. Lovely! Also came with seared greens, braised red cabbage, buttery mash potatoes, and rich decadent red wine gravy. £7.5 STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING...gooey, sweet, sticky, buttery, and fantastically wonderful!

Fabulous place in Bath UK. The place is old s hook but in all the right ways! The food is to die…read morefor. The Sheppards pies are crazy good. The service here was outstanding as well. If you're in Bath or Bristol you need to stop in!

A great pub in the heart of Bath, filled with great people and wonderful staff! I loved their…read moreadorable icon of the Raven taking stroll. The 3 story pub has lovely, warm, very British ambience. The Raven's food has a strong focus on hot pies, with a nice selection including Steak N Ale, Venison, Chicken, Beef N Cheese, Jackfruit, and Mushroom. My venison pie was delicious! The gamey meat was tender and succulent. I accidently ate into my wife's jackfruit pie...it was so good that I mistakenly thought it was my venison pie! £20 for any hot pie 'LOADED' which came with chips or Mash, plus heaps of roast vegetables and seasonal greens. It'll fill you up, and deliciously! Side Story: they accidently gave my wife a Chicken Pie instead of the Jackfruit Pie. The staff was so overwhelming apologetic about the error, and they refunded our ENTIRE bill! We said a small discount or just her pie being comped would've been more than fine, but they insisted on refunding the entire amount.

The food here is outstanding! We had the goat cheese and tomato appetiser, my husband had the…read moreovernight cooked lamb which melted in your mouth with fab dauphene potatoes. I had the roast chicken with the risotto and it was amazing as well. 10/10 experience. The service was excellent as well. Thanks to the Gainsborough hotel to recommending this to two bumbling Americans.

Hands down the best meal I had in England! Every dish was bursting with fresh, local ingredients,…read moreand the flavors were incredible. We showed up about 30 minutes before closing (absolutely starving), and despite the late hour, they graciously accommodated us without making us feel rushed. The appetizer special--local sliced tomatoes with goat cheese, basil, and candied walnuts--was so good I scraped the plate clean. Seriously, we loved every bite! For my entrée, I had the Roasted Cotswold Chicken Breast, and it was cooked to perfection, juicy and flavorful. If you're in Bath, don't skip Clayton's Kitchen. The Mediterranean and modern French-inspired dishes will leave you wanting more!