My daughter and son-in-law brought my mother and I to Hobgoblin our first night in the UK. They ordered the dirty fries, which seemed risky, I mean there really is a mixture of things that normally don't go on fries. Whoever invented these knew the perfect combination of flavors though, they were fantastic!! I also ordered the Rodeo burger (before I knew how big the fries were) and that was the best burger I've ever had, just amazing. We sat outside on a long picnic table because all the tables were full inside. There were already people sitting there and it was so nice to speak to people in the community and get to know them. We made sure to stop back by the Hobgoblin on our way out of town and plan to go next time we visit! read more

The Hobgoblin - Dirty fries - Pubs Near Me - Bristol, BST

So, it seems the Hobglobin hasn't been reviewed for around 4 years, and oh my, in that time, it got gooood! After a brief name change and temporary vacancy, the Hobglobin is back. And it's back with BIG food. Although pulled pork is 'in' at the moment, the Hobgoblin do it very well. Huge rolls filled with Mexican marinated pork with slaw and pickles on the side. As well as the big pulled pork rolls they do mountain sized burgers that look deliciously threatening; cheese rolling down the sides and buns shining from the grease. But the best thing on the menu is the 'Dirty, dirty fries' which were 'born out of a hangover'. The Dirty, dirty fries are a huge mix of fries, pulled pork, melted cheese and spicy sauces. They really are amazing! The Hobgoblin has a food challenge called 'The Kraken'. I can't remember everything that's on it but it involves lots of meat, dirty fries and chicken wings. I don't think anyone has completed it within the hour yet. Their pulled pork is smoked on site, burgers homemade and meat locally sourced from a Gloucester Road butcher. Probably bought with Bristol pounds and wrapped in an evening post, too! The decor is casual and the bar serves your normal lagers, beers, ciders, cocktails and shots. While the emphasis is on the food at the Hobgoblin, you'll still find a few groups just there for drinks. This isn't a first date place but it is a great place to meet mates and tuck into great, dirty food. read more

The Hobgoblin - Hobgoblin burger with pulled pork - Pubs Near Me - Bristol, BST

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A pretty average pub mid way up Gloucester Road, it's another honest place with no frills - drink in peace and quiet (mostly, unless it's a match day), and don't expect too much more. They had a few open mic nights here a couple of months ago, though they seem to have stopped now, but it seems to be the kind of community orientated place that hosts things like that. Its selling point is the back yard, which is a nice area to have a quiet drink in an evening. There's even a couple of outdoor sofas you can kick back and relax on (under a shelter), and there's plenty of heaters for these colder nights. At £3.20 for a standard pint it's a little steep, wine's equally expensive, but there's a few ales on tap which bring the pricing down, and a few good quality bottled ciders so maybe that redeems the prices. read more

The Hobgoblin - Pubs Near Me - Bristol, BST

I have only been in here once, and unfortunately it was on a football night. It was packed and I could barely move. What's more a glass of wine cost me upward of £3 which I thought was really very steep for Gloucester Road. I ended up having to spend the entire night soberly drinking diet Coke. The floors and tables are a bit sticky, however there does seem to be a good atmosphere. There is always people in here no matter what time or day which suggests to me that it must be a good way to spend an afternoon. The beer garden would be OK in summer I guess, but not much use in the rain or cold (apart for the use of smokers). I'm literally torn in half with this place. On one side its expensive, overpriced and a little bit tacky. On the other, it has lots of TVs, seats and tables, and there is a good feel to the place....hmmmm best bet is to try it out for yourself!! read more

The Hobgoblin - Pubs Near Me - Bristol, BST

The name alone intrigued me enough to go in! And I am pleased that my curiosity drew me in. The Hobgoblin comes from that successful breed of pub resteraunts that seem to be the heart and sole of one area. Upon my entry the locals where bantering away and people just passing through had popped in for a quiet meal, there were a couple of students playing darts, all nothing particualry special, but enough to give this place a bit of heart. I had the 'Wychwood Hobgoblin' cask ale, i'm guesing it's the chains stable 'we have our own beer' drink. It was nice and thick tasting with a slight fruity after taste. Other than the Wychwood the ale selection was nothing special, but what you'd expect I guess. Nice for a stop and break during the day, or a socialble pint in the eve. read more

The Hobgoblin - Pubs Near Me - Bristol, BST

The Hobgoblin is a great little pub on Gloucester Road that serves some of the best burgers and slow cooked meat in the land! I've been going to the the Hobgoblin in various different reincarnations for years. Back in the day it was a no nonsense drinking pub that had the same old local faces in it week after week. However the pub closed its doors due to extensive repairs that needed to be done and unfortunately didn't reopen under the same landlord. At that time it felt like Glozy Road had lost part of its soul! Role forward 10 years and after various failed attempts at bringing back the Goblin the current owners have managed to pull off one of the best, if not the best pub's on the road. It's no longer your spit and sawdust drinkers pub, it still has its original character but now with food and a modern touch to the place. (Think pulled pork, eating challenges and red fireball aniseed shots) If you're big on meat there are some amazing burgers. I can highly recommend the Squealer: a half pound burger with cheese, bacon and pulled pork. The first time I tried it the bar lady that served me told me 'you can't have a squealer without a side of spicy onions to whack in it' and she was right, highly recommended! There's also chicken wings and beef brisket baps on the menu along with their famous dirty dirty fries - a mountain of fries tossed together with blue cheese sauce, chilli spice and pulled pork. Legendary! Oh lastly one other dish to mention - the Turkey Swiss. Slow cooked turkey and crispy streaky bacon with melted Swiss cheese in a cheesy bap. That's definitely a favourite! It's worth noting that all the slow cooked meat is cooked in a smoker authentically in the garden! If you're after a challenge then try out the Kraken: a mountain of burgers, pulled pork, chicken wings and spice served with a mountain of dirty dirty fries that you could live off for a month! Be warned though... Legend has it there's only one guy who has ever conquered the Kraken! The pub has a great atmosphere day and night. Defo worth a visit. Recommended: while it's not really a sports pub, there's always a great atmosphere for 6 nations rugby when it's on. read more

This is part of the Hobgoblin chain... I was about to type obviously but I just Googled it and the internet has never heard of them, so maybe I'm making it up! Anyway, it's a fairly average pub on Gloucester Road that I wouldn't dream of going to in the evening but have been to to watch the footie before on a Sunday afternoon. It's got a wooden interior, Sky Sports and a pool table, though nothing particularly spectacular that would make me go as far as to recommend it. The rear garden's okay (if a bit small), I suppose, and they do have a TV out there so you can watch the footie in the open air, which is as enthusiastic as I can get about the place. A decidedly male domain, there are a couple of real ales (including Hobgoblin, naturally) on tap at a reasonable price. read more

Whenever I walk past there always seems to be plenty of people in here looking like they're having a good time, and I always end up enjoying myself when I pay the Hobgoblin a visit. Pretty average, they've avoided trying to be a bit trendy like some other places on the Gloucester Road (Bristol Flyer, Prince of Wales). It's a stop on the rat race sort of a place, with people getting some post work refreshment. This makes it a bit too busy from six till eight - the bar gets packed and there lots of people standing watching jealously watching those that have bagged a seat. Better to come late and get a couple in before last orders when there's still a nice feel to the place but not too much stress. Don't come when there's a football match either, unless you're looking for a match day atmosphere. They do poker tournaments that I'd love to try but am very wary about. I'm sure there's a few a card sharks who eat people like me up for breakfast. A few real ales on offer, which is always nice to see. Hobgoblin doesn't have any complaints from me, and it's lovely if you catch it at the right time. read more

I cut my drinking teeth (if there are such things) at the Hobgoblins in Brixton and Forest Hill in London. It was never pretty and there was disgraceful behaviour. But in my more mature years I chose to revisit the chain with a trip to the rather shabby looking one on Gloucester Road. It fulfilled my nostalgia but that was about it. I found it a bit nonnish really. Yes they do a great range of ales if you're into that sort of thing but it's a bit run-down and grungey for my tastes. There is a small pub garden out back and it does have a nice laid-back vibe with people always sitting enjoying themselves in the windows when you walk past but I don't imagine I'll be becoming a regular any time soon. read more

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One of my absolute favourites on Gloucester Rd, a chilled atmosphere, friendly staff and reasonably priced drinks. The highlight for me is the food, I highly recommend the pulled pork sandwich, smoked daily in their garden, which comes with plenty of fries, it's a naughty treat not to be missed!! read more

I recently read some reviews for the hobgoblin on here, which lets just say were anything but flattering. So being one of my locals I'd thought I'd come on and clear a couple of things up... Most of the reviews on here were written around 2009-2010 before the pub was re-branded, refitted and taken over by the new management- which has transformed it and made it the gem it is today. so here I am to give a more up to date and relevant review of the hobgoblin pub. The pub was built and has been open since god knows when but it is definitely old... anyone familiar with the area will know well the cool graffiti mural on the outside of a cheeky looking goblin and the pubs name name wryly sprayed next to it, anyone who doesn't take note as it is cool little piece of art. The pub itself is an old Victorian looking building painted green and white with nice large windows and pillars connecting them giving an open feel, going inside this gives way to a lovely old yet modern 50's kitch-ish themed area. reminiscent of a Brooklyn coffee house but with a little more Bristol vigor. Ever since going under new management in early 2013 I believe it was, the hobgoblin has been transformed from dark dingy place into a welcoming, friendly relaxed almost "hipsterite" hangout. With its nice american style diner bar tables and barrel bar stools it has an almost ramshackle warm frontier feel. Behind the bar they have all the classics on tap such as Guinness and doombar and a couple of interesting locally brewed ales and largers at very reasonable pricing. not to mention posh crisps, pork scratchings etc... The pub has sky sports and is good place to watch big matches, due to the layout you can get a good view of the Tv(s) from anywhere your sitting. it also has a pool table which on Sunday from 7.30 onwards is free to use. As well an inclosed rustic courtyard garden area complete with cave like shelters for when its raining and large gas garden patio heaters for when its cold, which also do a marvelous job of lighting the area in the evening. The pub has also been somewhat transformed into a foodies haven, as after the new management took over they have redone the kitchen and hired some very talented young chefs. The menu like so many popular new restaurants at the moment is pop up burger based with a 1950's american diner feel to it. The menu includes, all varieties of burgers: a juicy Mexican themed one with guacamole, A nice pungent blue cheese, and one that, having not tried I cannot judge, but has peanut butter as a sauce... Just to name a few. Each coming with a side of thin almost wafer style fries, pickles and the chefs special dipping sauce. All served on a suave looking wooden chopping board. Burgers are not the only thing on the menu either, their pulled pork is just as succulent as ever and melts in your mouth and, dare I say it, is probably the best pulled pork in Bristol trumping even the ever popular grill stock franchise which has set up new shop on the triangle just at the top of parkstreet of late. If you like to share you can get yourself a huge plate of their special "dirty dirty fries" for you and a friend if your feeling like some delicious self harm. They come massive, real comfort soul food complete with artery busting cheese, pulled pork and more. a real delight if your not watching the calories. Also for those interested in fame fortune and adventure, the mythical Kraken is always ready to order... the "Kraken" being a a massive beast of burger complete with a huge side of dirty dirty fries and 12 super hot wings ! Whats more if you manage to finish it all- a feat which to date only one man has ever managed- it comes free and you get your picture up on the wall of fame (shame). The hobgoblin is now truly a great pub, that had been going from strength to strength under the new management and is definitely well worth a visit. Pay no attention to theese old and out of date reviews and go see for yourself what it is now like. read more

In my experience you really can't go wrong with a Hobgoblin pub. I've loved every one I've ever been onto, from The Hobbit in Southampton to the Hobgoblin in Bath and now the Hobgoblin on Gloucester Road in Bristol. Not only are they guaranteed to serve the delicious Hobgoblin range of ales and the morish Green Goblin cider but they follow a very simple formula - decent music, a relaxed crowd and more often than not, decent beer garden. Granted this pub's beer garden is small, small but perfectly formed. They even fire up the Barbie in the summer months. If you're after a swanky bar then this is not for you but if you want somewhere to knock back with your mates while dressed in shabby jeans and a t-shirt with some friendly musos, bikers and students this is it. I even love walking past the place as you can often hear some top quality tunes, including the underrated legend that is Neil Young. read more

The Hobgoblin - Hobgoblin Bristol - Pubs Near Me - Bristol, BST

This is one of the best places on glos road for a reasonably priced and tasty meal. The food is pretty filthy, but that's filthy in a really good way! All sorts of amazingly tasty burgers with different fillings as well as sharing options, in particular the dirty dirty fries. They are the best! If you are on a diet this isn't the place for you, but if you want a bevvie and some damn tasty food, this is the one!! read more

Great little pub for watching football. usually shows big matches. Bit "sawdust" but friendly enough