Gord and I had a beer on the patio of The Cottage Pub Tuesday evening. It's one of Cardiff's oldest…read morepubs, with origins dating to around 1750. The current frontage is a striking Victorian design dating from about 1895. It's apparently one of the last genuinely old pubs on St Mary Street. Cheers!

Lively bar located on Queen Street. Its has changed a lot over the year's , but is still a favorite…read more place to visit, no food was being served on the days we were there but the service was as good as it always was. Great 80's music being played over the speakers.

Centrally located in the cosy village of Peterstone-super-Ely, about 10 miles from Cardiff city…read morecentre, The Sportsmans is both a locals' pub and a destination for countryside lovers. Fields, woods, a river and streams surround the pub, which has its own gardens and terrace seating, where you can eat and drink al fresco. The pub is Family-run and the main personality is the landlady, Sue, whose enthusiasm and high service ethic has rubbed off on all her young staff. A good menu offers local produce, supplemented by 3 or 4 daily specials; chef will endeavour to cook your special requirements where possible. There is a sensibly-priced wine list with many wines available by the glass. An altogether most agreeable and recommended destination.

There really is something quintessentially British about pubs, and whilst the Bellini drinking,…read morecity loving part of me absolutely adores a nice trendy bar with a buzzing atmosphere, I do rather have a soft spot for pubs (especially ones with country settings). The Sportsman pub in Peterston, is a lovely pretty little pub bin an idyllic country village (the drive down really is beautiful). Even better (in my opinion) is that's rather upmarket, so you never have to worry about it getting rowdy, plus kids are most welcome. They also serve some really nice food; the main courses cost between £8-10 and a lot of care is put into preparing the food (unlike many pubs). I'd highly recommend this place!

The Duke of Wellington is a great place to relax with friends and enjoy a drink and grab a quick…read morebite. I'm American so I ordered the Philly cheesesteak which is a bit different from what I'm used to but it was overall tasty.

Tip: If you are about to embark on a DIY ale trail of Cardiffs best real-ale pubs, don't start at…read morethe Duke Of Wellington Pub at The Hayes. And why not I hear you ask? Because it has some of the most comfortable seats, the nicest barmen, the cosiest ambience and the very best beers brewed by Cardiff's own Brains Brewery. If you're anything like us, then you'll not want to leave! Our ale trail began and ended with the Duke of Wellington, with no stops in-between, so was a bit of a non-starter as it were. On the plus side at least we still have that list of recommended Cardiff real ale pubs on hand for our next visit. A big thanks to the Duke of Wellington for a lovely afternoon well spent. They even have an interesting bar menu with extensive vegetarian options. I am a little bit in love!

The Rummer Tavern is without a doubt, one of the best pubs in Cardiff. There's no pretense, no…read moremisplaced efforts to attract more people in with 10 pints for £5 deals or whatever. It knows it's good as it is, and that people will come. And they do. Along with the Goat Major just around the corner, this place seems to be standing firm against aforementioned chain pubs and more "trendy" establishments. There is simply no gimmick with this place and that's what makes it great. Onto the drinks then, and they've got decent prices and will pour you a generous measure. I had a couple of double whiskey and cokes and was feeling it alot more than normal after two drinks. I then slowed down and had a pint of bitter. I was served by two different people who were both very friendly and helpful. Due to my youthful looks I was ID'd here but they were apologetic when I finally produced proof. The food here is very good and very well priced, and, for me the Rummer Tavern has a certain charm which you simply struggle to find these days. Old pictures on the walls of the building over the years give you a good sense of the history of the place. It's also in a prime location just opposite the castle which is ideal if you fancy a quick pint on your lunch break or a quick break from the shops. Top marks all round.

Situated in a prime spot just opposite Cardiff Castle, there's been a pub on the site of the Rummer…read morefor more than three hundred years. On both the inside and the outside you get a sense of the place's history, and they've kept the décor in keeping with the pub's age - there's nothing trying or trendy about it, but it's still fairly smart and clean (unlike some of the city's other 'traditional' pubs). Although they serve food, I haven't eaten here, so this review is only really about what the place is like for a drink. I first went in this pub when my friend was working behind the bar, and noticed that it attracted a really good mix of people rather than one particular crowd. Long and narrow, it's exactly what you might expect when you hear the word 'tavern' - a cosy little hideaway perfect for a drink on a harsh winter's day.

The Cornwall is a traditional Victorian pub in the heart of Grangetown that is surprisingly nice…read more More open plan than you expect, you pass through the working man's bar into the dining area towards the rear of the pub. In here you'll find a Victorian fireplace that, for once, actually has a real log fire in it. Very cosy. To the side there is a partially covered smoking area. The grub is what you'd expect to find in a normal Brains pub, they do the "Five For £3.85" deal, "Curry And A Pint" is on Wednesdays and will set you back £5.75 and a steak comes is at around £8. In the public bar, you'll find lots of photos and St Patrick FC memorabilia (The Cornwall is the team's base), big TVs with Sky Sports, the fruit machine and a proper It-Box with Monopoly and Nevermind The Buzzcocks on it. The Cornwall is a cracking community pub that is welcoming to newcomers.

The Cornwall seems like a friendly pub. When you walk in, you know instantly that it's a local's…read morepub, but that the locals don't mind visitors from time to time! There's plenty of room inside, with a dining area at the back and the bar down the front. Posters advertise quizzes and karaoke and there's a big TV permanently tuned to sport. Outside, there's a little smoking area protected behind perspex. It faces West, so turns into a warm snug on a summer's eve. Beer is decent and the prices are 'outside of Cardiff' prices, which is a good thing! If you're in Grangetown and fancy a pint, you could do a lot worse than The Cornwall.

The Crossways Inn is quite a large 17th Century country pub. It has recently been refurbished and I…read morehave not yet visited since the refurbishment. I have always found the Crossways to be quite a cozy and atmosheric pub. It is popular with locals and gets quite packed at the weekend. The Crossways stocks several real ales. It also has accommodation. The last time I went to the Crossways pub it was for a Christmas meal the food was really good. I had mushroom soup for a starter which was home-made by the pub's chef and it was really flavoursome with lots of mushrooms in it. The Christmas dinner was good with loads of veg and roast potatoes.

as a pub B+B its first rate, food good beer good rooms and beds first class. noisy though when the…read moreskittles boys are playing. just go and have a beer and wait for them to get tired.

This is listed as the Goat Major but is in fact reverted back to The Bluebell. Not many pubs…read moremanaged to keep its original feel as a true pub but the Bluebell has managed to do it. The food was excellent along with the service, the bar staff were engaging and professional which added to the welcoming ambience. Located right across from Cardiff Castle well worth a visit.

One minute walk from the front of Cardiff Castle, this is military related pub is traditional as it…read moregets. It's a proper old man's pub ideal for everyone above the age of 18. Here is a bit of history the name is taken from the Mascot of the Royal 41st regiment of Wales. They carried a live goat on the Russian front line in the Crimean War. The goat survived the War and was introduced to Queen Victoria back in England. Originally simply called the Goat, the pub was renamed the Bluebell in 1813, and finally the Goat Major in 1995. To this day when the Royal Regiment of Wales names a new goat as its mascot they get several column inches dedicated to them in the Welsh press. I've never eaten here - nor would I want to as it strikes me a strictly drinking pub with lots of real ales on the menu and wall to wall dark wood panelling. Wednesday is Welsh night by the way and apparently the pub offers a range of Goat Major memorabilia - I can't say I'd noticed.

This is a really great pub, right in the middle of Cathays, so normally frequented by students…read more They are part of the chain of pubs to offer yellow cards, which you buy for a few pounds and then use to get discounts on your drinks throughout the year. My housemate and I went looking for tickets to one of the student club nights (because sometimes the union box office sells out before these places) but decided to stop for a drink. It was really sunny and hot and having a refreshing drink in the cool was just heaven. Unfortunately there isn't a garden, so far as I am aware, so if we had wanted to bask a little in the sun's rays we would have been disappointed. The prices are pretty standard for the pubs around here. However, that means that they are actually really cheap and you'll be surprised at how little a drink costs, especially if you've come from London.

The Royal George is known simply as The George by the people who regularly frequent this popular…read morepub, and being Scream pub since 1996, the people who regularly frequent it are somewhat inevitably students. Before it was taken over by Scream it used to be Clancey's Irish Bar, and although some of the old guard still use the place, the mood and tone have changed beyond all recognition. The George is one of two Scream pubs in Cardiff, with The Woodville being the other. I'm not too enamoured with the idea behind the chain as I'm none too keen on the whole sports pub thing. Scream pubs seem to feed students a diet of beer, burgers and sport at discounted prices, with a loyalty scheme that just keeps them coming back for more. Nevertheless, this is essentially what a lot of them want, and so they would naturally find these things for themselves if it weren't all put together in a tidy package for them by Scream. There's no denying the popularity of the place during term time!