The Bag o' Nails, Bristol

A welcoming beacon on our dark, staggery, approach. Bath Festival Gold, Northumbrian Bucking Fastard, Facers North Star Porter, 2 reverse clipped (GWB Classic Gold, a.n.other), 14Nov. Straightforward one-room bar, mock fire to rear, big mirror, old pumpclips, ugly toby jugs above top bar shelf, nice window to street. I wrote down ‘great staff', but can't remember why. Pies & pasties in warm cabinet at bar, £1.50/£1.80, salvation!

A short way out of the city centre, the Bag o' Nails is a compact, single room pub offering a warm, friendly setting to enjoy some well kept beer. The pub has a simple layout comprising one long, narrow room with the servery down the left hand wall. There is lots of dark wood throughout, especially in the front bar area, whilst further back the décor is a bit more eclectic including a large dancing girl mural, red textured wallpaper, a fireplace lined with fairy lights with a mirror and modern art print above and a record player which provides the pub with its soundtrack. You can browse a selection of records for something you fancy putting on and can even bring in your own vinyl to play, as long as it meets with the landlords approval. Seating options comprise benches and low stools for the most part, with a row opposite the bar making it a little cramped at the front when it's busy. The servery sees a nice wooden leaf frieze running around the bar back and a pillar at the end of the counter has a list of 'house rules' written on it - all rather light hearted and a good topic of conversation. The floor in front of the bar has a couple of portholes looking down into the cellar, lit with bright coloured lights, whilst the front windows were filled with a number of plants. Having ordered a pint, I was most surprised to find a small kitten stood where I expected my glass to be, although a sign on the door had forewarned that the pub has a cat and that we should be careful to ensure it doesn't run outside as you enter. The row of handpulls on the bar offered up a fine selection of ales, with Mumbles Oyestermouth Stout and Gold, Siren Soundwave, Red Willow Wreckless, Ashley Down December, Wiper and True Milkshake Stout, Chantry New York Pale and Bristol Beer Factory Nova all available. A very strong range and I enjoyed a very well kept pint of the Oyestermouth Stout. This is a fantastic little pub with much to recommend and I really enjoyed this visit. It's the sort of place you'd be really happy to have as your local and I thought it was arguably the best pub of a very good day's drinking around the city.