Lovely lunch at the Continental. Pam and I had vegetarian Banh Mi sandwhiches and a good salad. They have lots of entertainment on weekend which I'll be looking forward to checking out. read more

I had my first experience of the Conti as a gig venue on Saturday night. Not being a local, I had never heard of the place before (having only visited Preston itself a few times and those being gigs at the Mad Ferrit and the Student Union). My first impression is that parking is a wee bit of a nightmare and it's a little out of town. That being said, having seen a sample of the other options in Preston - it seems to be worth a bit of a walk. 1) It was Busy! In this day and age (with pubs being on the decline), it was fantastic to see a place so vibey and buzzing. The bar area was busy, the restaurant was nearly full and people were sitting outside under the heaters. 2) Very reasonably priced! We stuck to the Conti Home-brew (at a very passable £2.60 a pint), but a vodka and coke was around £2.70 and it hosts and enviable selection of beers, wines and spirits. The Import lagers are more pricey, but that is to be expected as they're a specialist drink. 3) The crowd was lovely! There was a mix of people in the bar due to the gig, but nearly everyone was chatting to each other and having a joke. I didn't feel like an outsider at all and had a wonderful experience shooting the breeze with many of the locals. The pub itself was clean and well presented and the gig space was perfect for a crowd of around 200 people (with mixed seating and standing). The sound was dead good for the bands and the space really lent itself to hosting small to medium sized events. I didn't have any food, but it looked and smelled very nice indeed. If I had a local like this, I think it would be a bit of a staple venue. Good job Conti! read more

The Continental - Home brew @ £2.60 a pint - Pubs Near Me - Preston, LAN

So this is my local pub and has an unrivalled selection of ales and beers, a non stop cultural programme from plays to poetry readings through to live bands and vintage fairs. When the sun is out their is no other place you want to be.. The beer garden is excellent.. and busy for that reason! Being on the Guild Wheel (a 21 mile cycle track round Preston) and on the river next to Avenham and Miller Parks means it's in a prime location yet still walkable through the park to the city centre. It's often our first stop before head into town. However this has to be one of the most disorganised establishments I have ever been in, apart from events like the well attended beer festivals and cultural programme. Eating here, getting a drink or sorting anything else is very hit and miss and completely at the mercy of whoever is working. I've had Christmas do's here, been to parties and just popped by on a Friday afternoon or an evening in the week. . No matter when people are running round like headless chickens and their is hardly ever enough staff on the bar. The food is pretty standard pub grub.. don't expect to be bowled over but it's fuel for the fire if you're nearby and better than a lot of other local pubs. The owners have now taken over The Ferret on Fylde Road and The Moor Brook on North Road.. Both will be a fantastic success if they get the Continentals gold touch. What is on offer is second to none in Preston for a great pub but they need to step it up to earn my 5 stars.. get organised! read more

The Continental - Cracking beer festival last night.. what a treat! - Pubs Near Me - Preston, LAN

I'd popped into The Continental once for a drink and left with the distinct feeling that it was an eating pub more than a drinking pub. With this in mind, we chose it as the destination for a meal to celebrate my sister's birthday. Staff were really on the ball, although this was to the point of bombarding us with information about the specials, what they were out of, etc in such quick succession that we were left reeling. Our waiter dealt with our confused, rambling drinks order without batting an eyelid. The food menu was pretty exciting and our plan of attack was to share three starters and a bread basket between four of us, then get a main each and all try each other's. For starters we chose the pulled pork and paprika potato cake, smoked salmon gravadlax, and spiced lamb terrine. Everything tasted excellent and the presentation really elevated the meal into something special. For a main course I did the unthinkable - for me - and ordered a salad. A steak salad, admittedly. This felt very much like the Atkins diet option as it was a huge amount of steak over dressed leaves with peppers, tomatoes etc. It was very delicious and oddly very filling despite the lack of carbs. Others chose pork belly, pork loin, and pork and apple sauce sandwich. A very pork heavy meal in general! We swerved desserts as we were stuffed. Throughout the meal I enjoyed a latte, a Marble brewery pilsner, and a Sour Suzy Berliner - all delicious. The price was very reasonable for what we had. A little pricier than your average pub lunch but worth the little extra, especially for a special occasion. read more

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I've eaten at the New Continental a number of times and have always very much enjoyed it. The food is of a very high standard and the service is always great. Sometimes we stop by just for a coffee of a snack, at other times we've had whole meals there - including one Christmas meal experience. We've taken our dogs there before, both on the outdoor terrace and indoors, which has been great - especially considering it is right by a large park. We usually call ahead to make sure there's space, because it does fill up nicely most nights, so be on the safe side and pre-book a table. read more

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Good food , beer, music and service . Better than some more experienced restaurants in the area and much better value. read more

The Continental - Pubs Near Me - Preston, LAN

I've now been here three times. Every time I go, the more I like it. The restaurant/pub is by the river and, in the summer, has a magnificent outdoor eating area. The place is tucked away so that you don't realize you are in Preston. The food is quite good. The belly pork is some of the finest I've had. Fish and chips are fine. Nice selection of beer. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere quite pleasant. read more

I can't believe how much the pub has changed since I last visited the pub many years ago. It has been given a proper refurbishment, the furniture, decor etc. wow! it looks proper trendy. The bar staff were very nice & friendly, dressed smartly in black and the service was very good. It is now a proper family orientated pub, good food menu, decent beer garden & play area in the back of the pub, and the pub is located right near Avenham Park and the railway station. The toilets were very clean with fancy liquid soaps near the sink area. If I wanted a change of scenery and wanted something different on a day out, this is a pub well worth visiting! read more

I visit the Conty on a regular basis. It regularly has 7 or 8 expertly kept real ales, including the unique Continental bitter, a session ale brewed by the marble brewery in Manchester. I have never been disappointed with the quality of any of the beers. The food is also excellent and is sourced locally. My favourite is the pendle lamb. Beware that the pub is extremely busy at weekends and holidays if you want to dine. It is ALWAYS essential to book in advance, otherwise you might be dissapointed. Also, do not expect to be waited on when you arrive unless you have pre booked as this is first and foremost a pub. The theatre attached to the pub is a superb, intimate venue. I saw the folk stalwart Martin Carthy there in 2009. It was a superb evening all round. Staff are always courteous here. Look out for regular beer festivals and arts events taking place during the year. It is ever more important to support the Conty because of their support for the arts in Preston in the face of local authority and central govt cutbacks in arts and culture. Did I also mention the pub is also CAMRA pub of the season? read more

Listen, if you're in Preston, go here. It's by the river, near the central parks, they have really good (and different) beer, lager and cider and the food is knockout. If you do eat, the wine is really well-priced - a decent bottle won't knock you back more than ten or twelve squiddlies... Inside is really well appointed, and outside (when it's sunny of course), it's busy but not with screaming kids. And, pretty much every night, in a separate area, the Conti has live acts - music, comedy, all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff. And best of all? After walking the hound on the park, you can take it inside!!! About the only pub in Preston that lets you do it! Ok, you have to go into the lounge area, but that's probably the nicest part of the Conti anyway - comfy settees, fire in winter and nice art on the walls. read more

The Continental has an unrivalled location by the River Ribble, a 15 min walk from the city centre. A gastro pub offering a wide selection of real ales and beers as well as a diverse range of entertainment from live music to literature competitions. We mainly visit The Continental to enjoy a relaxing drink but the food is of a high standard although quite expensive. The Continental hosts 2 beer festivals every year-in May and October and both festivals are extremely busy-in the last few years, the May festival experience has become less enjoyable due to the unbelievably busy crowds and long queues. Unless you arrive before 7 pm expect to queue for around 30 mins just to get your beer tokens, glass and programmes. Then take your chances in the main beer hall as the crowds shove each other around to get their long awaited beer! The main bar isn't much better as non-ale drinkers try their luck there. The toilet queue winds it's way into the main bar area as you wait 10 mins to get in -and that's just the men's wash rooms! However in an attempt to offset the delays the organisers have introduced a second tent with a more limited range of beers but less queues. There is however en excellent work around!-if you can arrive in the afternoon however you can avoid the chaos and enjoy what is certainly one of the best ale festivals in the area; running from Thursday to Sunday up to 100 ales are available from a wide range of international breweries including interesting micro breweries as well as from the larger favourite breweries such as Thwaites. There is also a good selection of ciders, perrys and Belgian beers. The outdoor food options include burgers, hot dogs, jacket potatoes as well as an excellent hog roast. There is live entertainment throughout the festival and on a warm May evening sat outside, even sat on the large grassed areas if you can't get a seat!, you will find it an amazing experience-just make sure you get there early, have your choice of favourite ales, then slow the pace down when the crowds arrive later on! An alternative would be to just come down on a summer's evening when the festival is not on-although be prepared for it still to be very busy! An excellent pub in a great location but less attractive during the winter months if walking from the city centre-just too far out-perhaps the management could look at introducing a shuttle service between the city centre and the pub for a reasonable fee. Other than that the owners also run The Ferret which is closer to the city centre and worth a visit. There is talk of the owners opening a new Gin palace venue opening on Friargate-hopefully this will go ahead then Preston's pub and bar options really will start to look more of an attractive proposition befitting of a large city! read more

Great little pub, winner of Camra West Lancs pub of the year for 2010 and 2011. Does really nice food and has a lot going on with cinema, music, theatre and arts events being held there. Food Serving times No Food service Monday (except Bank Holidays) - bar open Tuesday - Friday : 12pm - 2.30pm & 5pm - 9pm Saturday : 12pm - 9pm Sunday : 12pm -8.30pm read more

Quite liked the pub. The food is fine, the beer variety is wide, though our last customer service experience has ruined the overall one. We've been ignored by the staff for like 20min while waiting to get at least a menu. And no luck. People around us were served all the time but our turn never came. So yeah, we avoid this pub now. read more

Quite liked the pub. The food is fine, the beer variety is wide, though our last customer service experience has ruined the overall one. We've been ignored by the staff for like 20min while waiting to get a drink. And no luck. People around us were served all the time but our turn never came. So yeah, we avoid this pub now. Guild wheel cyclists avoid this pub if you want a quick drtink. read more

There's always a vegan option on the menu, it's dog friendly, the beer garden is good as is the location just by the river by Miller Park. Food has always been good even if the wait time can sometimes seem a little excessive. All in all a great spot for a bite. read more

This is by far the best pub in Preston for a number of reasons, namely strawberry beer, the wine list, arts & music events, the snug (and its decor), the food. I would say the riverside location, that may be stretching the imagination slightly as it's only the Ribble. Brilliant place, if I could live there I would! read more

I don't normally write reviews, but after many visits to the Continental (I have dined at it around once every couple of months since it opened) I feel the need to do so - as the place itself is great and has bags of potential, but is let down by issues which can easily be rectified. My other half and I decided to go for dinner at the Continental in January 2011. On our arrival we noticed that many of the tables were fully booked, but we managed to nab one which was free and sat ourselves down at the table. The place wasn't particularly busy, but we waited for a few minutes for one of the waitresses to greet and serve us, but they either didn't notice, or choose to ignore us, so I decided to go to the bar to purchase a couple of drinks, this is where the Continental came into its own, the selection of drinks on offer was fantastic! There was an ale menu at the bar which is changed on a regualr basis, and features a wide variety of local and not so local ales from all over Britain. Also, if you're a fan of Belgian or German beers there are plenty to cater for your needs, and the selection of spirits is also impressive. I bought us a couple of drinks - of which my pint of local ale was delicious and went down a treat, and went back to our table to discover that there were not any menus on the table, and none of the members of staff had been over to greet my girlfriend. I decided to get a couple of menus from the waitress at the bar - who didn't look particularly busy, and failed to give an apology, or explanation as to why we were not greeted. Maybe this is the way it's done - maybe customers are supposed to go to the bar to be served, but there wasn't anything within the building to inform us to do so, we are still none the wiser. I went back to our table, and we both decided on what we wanted, and waited...We waited for several minutes, then, eventually a waitress came over to take our orders, but, again, we didn't receive an apology, nor an explanation as to why it was taking them such a long time to serve us. My girlfriend ordered pork loin, but after around 15 minutes the waitress came back to inform us that they had ran out of pork, and there wasn't a substitue, so she decided to go with lamb chops with mash instead. For the starter I had shrimps on toast, which I could not fault, it was very nice, but after I had finished we had to wait for at least 15 minutes for one of the waitresses to finally realise that I had finished my starter and was ready for my main - which frustrated my girlfriend as she did not want a starter, and was beginning to get extremely hungry. For the main I ordered venison chops with a chocolate sauce, and parsnip mash, which wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either - the venison was under seasoned, and a strip of bacon along with a sprig of parsley was randomly placed on top of the venison which did not go with it at all - they always seem to feel the need to place a sprig of parsley on top of almost every main course on the menu - regarldess of whether parsley actually tastes good with the particular dish. The parsnip mashed potato was quite nice, but I'd rather have normal mashed potato with separate roast parsnips. The chocolte sauce was pretty good. My girlfriend had a similar strip of bacon, along with the obligatory sprig of parsley slapped on top of her lamb, both of which were discarded immediately. Apart from the two minor faults there wasn't anything else, and she rather enjoyed her main. We decided to skip desert and sample a few drinks instead, but before doing so, we wanted to settle the bill...We waited, and waited...None of the staff offered the bill, so I had to pay at the bar. The drinks after were lovely, the Continental is one of the best pubs I have ever been to for a drink; I tried around 5 different ales - each of which were superb. After a few drinks one of the waitresses who was serving us during the meal placed the bill for the meal in front of us and walked off without any explanation...That was a bit rude I thought, we called her back and explained that I had already paid but it was a different waitress who dealt with the payment. The waitress then disappeared, and returned a few minutes later to enquire as to whether I used a credit card to pay the bill as they wanted to see the receipt. Luckily I had kept the reciept, and handed it to her. We decided to drink up and leave. The mix-up at the end is a perfect summary of the service at the Continental. All in all, the Continental is one of the best pubs for drinking in the UK. But if you're after food, you might as well just smash your head repeatedly off a brick wall, as the service is abysmal. I will not be in a hurry to return for food as the above events are typical of the place, but if they manage to rectify their front of house issues I may return. Bill: Starter: 1* Shrimps on Toast Main: 1* Lamb Chops & Mash 1* Venison Chops & Parsnip Mash Potatoes Total: £30.00 + Dr read more

Love this pub. Great atmosphere, lovely decor and fantastic food! Staff all friendly and nice beer garden for a summers day. Lovely!

Agree with all of the above. But also has the best real ale in Preston.

A good clean pub that is always coming up with fresh ideas to entertain.

All in all a nice busy pub with a good atmosphere! There is plenty going on here, from beer festivals to music acts to burlesque and vintage fairs. You can sit outside when it is sunny too. I've only eaten there once and the food was surprisingly lovely and not at all what I expected from a pub! The drink selection is good. It is an extremely busy place at the weekends so don't expect them to squeeze you in if you have't booked for food, they are likely to say no. It is also the only place I know where you form an orderly queue at the bar which caught me out the first time I went there! The staff are fine, just too busy to be particularly attentive (bless them) My favourite pub in Preston right now. read more