Dropped into the City Arms to get out of the rain. The last time I was in this pub was on…read moreinternational day. Just one drink no food --- no one else in the pub. Not a good experience.

The City Arms is perfectly located for a drink before a night at Clwb Ifor Bach (also known as the…read moreWelsh Club) - and, also being near the stadium, is handy (but rammed) when there's a match or concert on. It gets pretty packed out on any weekend nights, in fact - so there's lots of standing up rather than sitting down for most people. The place has a really sociable atmosphere, though - and you often find strangers striking up conversation with one another, which can make for a fairly random but interesting evening! It's a bit grubby, with fairly grim toilets and a rather sticky floor - but at least that probably helps stop drunk people from slipping over on the dancefloor! If your eyes are still able to focus, the walls on the lounge side of the bar are full of interesting photos of Cardiff's history.

A proper pub with a fantastic atmosphere. Historic building with loads of character. Good range at…read morethe bar, friendly staff and excellent food.

This is a top notch little boozer! I say little but with the restaurant and in the summer, the…read morebeer garden, this 14th century welsh long house is surprisingly big. The lounge has a lovely calm feel about it and the bar is proper cozy. Winter is the best time to visit when the log fires are burning. A good range of beer, wines and spirit and bar snacks. The food is really good. The menu and daily specials board has a good choice and at the time of writing, the current chef puts a lot of effort into turning out quality food with a touch of flair. The staff are all very friendly and professional. All in, this is a good place.

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.

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!

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.

If you're looking for a compromise between the city centre and a local pub then on the weekends…read morethis is a good place to choose. Decent beer prices (haven't tried the food) and an interesting mix of students and indie kids heading into town or just meeting up before whatever. Stays open late enough Fridays and Saturdays (1am usually) by which time it's usually chilled out a bit. 4 out of 5 for this boozer

Gord and I had supper at the Pen and Wig on Sunday…read more I had a pepperoni pizza (I took half away) and Gord had scampi and chips. Both were good.

To find yourself as a pub opposite the Ballardian nightmare that is Gablafa Interchange could be…read moreconsidered a bit of a nightmare. But to find yourself as a pub opposite the Ballardian nightmare that is Gablafa Interchange with a recently opened Wetherspoon's smack bang in the middle of is without doubt a nightmare. The Three Horse Shoes has had this problem on its hands for almost a year now and is fighting it admirably. It has chosen the fronts of sports TV and community feel on which to wage its war. The former is signified by the large LCD TVs dotted around the bar and the large banners advertising both Sky Sports and ESPN. The latter is denoted by the friendly staff, the banter they have with the customers and the general cosiness feel of the place. It also keeps the impact on your wallet to a minimum with Brains' Famous Five for £3.85 meal promotion, Fosters at £2.30 and Brains IPA at £1.85. There's a darts board, a standard It-Box and occasional live music. They also have some bizarre high seats from which only basketball players couldn't dangle their legs and feel like a five-year-old. I was expecting the worst when I finally made it across Gabalfa Interchange, but what I found was a friendly, clean, and cosy community pub.

We have ate many of meals at this pub and I must say that Angie and Sharon always turn out…read morebeautiful meals to our table. If ever you call in for a drink at this pub and feel hungry then don't hesitate to order food when these two are cooking. Also, because it is a Brains pub take advantage of the menu offer they have Mon Fri.

I've not eaten at the Vulcan but I have had a few cheeky drinks and I have to say, the atmosphere…read moreis really great. Being smack bang in the middle of student central, the drinks are dirt cheap but the interior is not compromised and is actually really pretty. Somewhere between classic, dark and moody old pub and trendy bar it provides something aesthetic for people who like to drink in an attractive setting.

This place was classy even before it got classy... if you know what I mean? The fact that it's now…read morehad a reburb that shows it in its true colours is simply a case of a place fulfilling its promise! It'll come as no surprise to many that the people behind the Vulan Lounge are the same people that transformed the North Star into a shining beacon of contemporary style. Tim Rice, the illustrious Cardiff based designer responsible for the magnificent results out in Maindy / Gabalfa is now working his magic in Cathays. And that's not all... The winning formula that has made The North Star such a manifold success is being down-scaled and transposed onto this centrally located pub cum lounge. That means great food, live music and high levels of customer satisfaction! Rowan Liggett, one of the people behind MMP (Miniature Music Press), and responsible for the music nights at The North Star is also providing the entertainment here. So, for those of you without a car.. well... rest assured, they're bringing the good times to you, instead of making you hanker for something that is just a little too far out of reach... The Vulcan is still closed mid week until the work is complete. Here's what I wrote about The North Star: The North Star is a vast pub cum restaurant and music venue occupying a prominent position on North Road in the Maindy / Gabalfa area of Cardiff. It is an incredibly inspiring and important addition to the cultural wealth of the city. Opened in October last year, it is already the home to a cosmopolitan mix of locals, business people and students, as well as regular visitors from all over the city and beyond. When you walk into The North Star you can appreciate why it has such a draw. The old Victorian mansion-sized building has been lovingly refurbished with impressive style. The modern look, embellished with antique flourishes and an eclectic use of period furniture, has been created by Tim Rice, one of Cardiff's most successful designers, leading The North Star to be shortlisted for 'The Best Bar and Restaurant Design Awards' within months of its unveiling. It also scooped up another accolade when it was voted the fifth best 'cheap eat' in the UK by The Guardian. There's more to say about The North Star than I've got space here on Yelp. It's a multi-faceted business that offers a lot, to many. Managed by a brother and sister team, with Alex taking care of front of house, and her brother conjuring up epicurean delights in the kitchen. The food, organic and locally sourced wherever possible, is extensive in range and all homemade from scratch, including the relishes, dough's and even the Yorkshire puds! Dishes are predominantly Italian, but the menu frequently includes Welsh favourites like cockles and lava bread, Monmouthshire lamb and potted pig. With deals like '2 for 1' operating from Monday to Friday, customers are visibly increasing on a weekly basis. Specialty dishes are changed regularly, usually prompted by the advice of their local butcher, J T Morgan, who tips them the wink about all the best seasonal cuts on offer. Established in 1861, J T Morgan Butchers have occupied a position of importance at the indoor market, in central Cardiff, for more years than anyone can remember. A family butchers that have moved with the times, they are presently one of the most recognized purveyors of free range and organic meat and poultry in South Wales. Not surprisingly, The North Star makes the most of a good thing. As well as fantastic Sunday lunches, boasting the most succulent roasts in town, they're also hosting BBQ's on Friday and Sundays over the warmer months. Live music is on offer most days of the week, kicking off on Wednesdays with the Open Mic Night hosted by Rowan Liggett, who is also Co-Director of The Miniature Music Press, a really well produced A5 music magazine and 'What's On', that you can pick up for free at a whole host of places around the city. The North Star also has a sister pub worth mentioning; The Vulcan in Cathays on Wyvern Road, another haunt of the ubiquitous Rowan Liggett, who runs the Open Mic nights here as well. Frequented mainly by students, this is a cool live music pub, also designed by Tim Rice, that is equally well worth checking out.

Cool local pub near the stadium and train station. Good beers; better than most pub food. He had a…read morewest coast IPA; I had an Irish stout; both generous and delicious. We self seated which was nice; lots of window seats. For food, we ordered at the bar and provided our table #. Lots of menu options. He ordered a beef burger w cheese and bacon, side of onion rings. The onion ring sauce was a tasty dill sauce. I ordered a Welsh lamb burger which came w cheddar and goat cheese and skin on French fries. Both burgers were a tad smaller than normal, but we had plenty of delicious food. The spicy English mustard was great w ketchup and fries. Cool atmosphere but not too cool. Service was helpful and professional.

My line manager recommended this waterhole to me during our Cardiff work trip last week. They have…read moretheir own local brewery and a good range of beers/ciders on tap. I've always love dark beers, not quite a stout. It's hard to find good dark beers and funnily enough... when I asked if they had any dark beers on tap, the bartender recommended me Stay Puft. Stay Puft tasted like a mocha with toasted marshmallows. It's classified as stout but I personally won't put that in the same category. Stout to me is a Guinness and that's bitter! Came here two days in a row last week! I truly appreciate how unpretentious this place is and you could wear anything you're comfortable in. Music was decent and it wasn't too loud making it easy to hate a conversation while enjoying their local beers. Headed back to Cardiff next week again for work! Tiny Rebel, you're bound to find me back at your waterhole again soonest!

I do like a good pub; if you can go in after a long day, sit down in the warm and have a nice slow…read moredrink with some friends then it's a winner for me. This pub is great for all of those things. It has a really friendly atmosphere and the prices are reasonable. They do serve food (as you'd expect really...) but I've never eaten here. Instead, this is normally where we would go for a few drinks for heading on to elsewhere. It is a little too far from me for me to want to go there just for one drink and come home again but it really is a nice place to go to otherwise.

Te first thing you notice about The Roath Park (apart from it being no where near Roath park) is…read morethat its chunky hunk of a building somewhat attractive in a sturdy stone block kind of way. It has a quite a bit of history attached to it and saw army officers staying in the hotel rooms above during the war - which are no longer used. As with all pubs it has a full range of beers, wines and spirits plus a cracking pool area where friendly rivalry is the order of the day. I played here with a mate. It was winner stay on and we beat 11 other teams in a row. By no way of an excuse by the time we'd got to the 11th game our optical judgement had been a little hindered by our optical choices at the bar. It's mainly frequented by locals and students - and local students.

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!