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Image posted by Ian Mapp
Submitted on Tuesday, 28th March 2023
With picture contributions to 1669 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (14 more images)
Detail Pages
The Orchard Inn, Hotwells, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 6XT
Served areas
Reviews of The Orchard Inn (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Orchard Inn
Like Quinno, I also shudder at gravity fed.
Took me a while to spot the beers in this GBG2023 entry. To be fair, I should have experimented with a cider or perry - dominating the chalk board.
I went for a Bristol Beer Factory Independence and my server disappeared into the back to come out with how. I suggested she shouted "Abracadabra" at this piece of black magic. It was a very good pint.
Large open plan room, with old Bristolian brewing paraphernalia on the walls. Seemed lively. A decent locals pub.
On 28th March 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1926 recommendations about 1886 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Orchard Inn
The inside has gone green. I don’t remember it being green. Four cask on stillage which always gives me a shudder (and I had a duff one here eight years back on my last recorded visit), though this time the Otter Bitter was in very good shape (NBSS 4). Snaffled the last of the filled baguettes from the bar, which was exceptionally nice. Cider is still the king here of course with the selection into double-digits. One day I will actually drink some! One downside was that it felt a bit cold, the place itself was a bit dimly lit which didn’t help.
October 2013
An overdue revisit found that the beer is now on stillage (which I’m always suspicious of) and it yielded a so-so Wye Valley. Stick to the cider and perry here, it is their speciality after all…
Rated 7
July 2011
Tucked away in the backstreets of Spike Island, a few minutes walk away from the SS Great Britain, this is a pub that anyone with an interest in cider and perry should make a point of visiting. Over last few years it has gone from selling a couple to offering a plethora of 20+ on a good day. I’m not a cider drinker to any great degree but I’m reliably informed that this is Mecca if you want to grapple with the apple in these parts and that advice and tasters are dispensed to those who want to get involved. The pub itself feels like a pretty basic 'no frills' affair - it's designed for drinking, with tiled floor and fairly basic furnishings. There are also four ales on offer sourced from local breweries. Being an ale drinker I can comment on these – choice is good but I’ve had the odd stinker in my half-a-dozen stops so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the place on the basis of ale alone. Live music is advertised and basic food is available (pasties, filled rolls etc along with the occasional hot dish). It can get a bit lively in the evenings (some of the locals are ‘characters’) and gets rammed full of home fans on a Bristol City home game – given the atmosphere and amount of coppers outside last time I accidentally visited on such an occasion, it didn’t strike me as being a place for away supporters. For cider and perry fans, this is clearly a must-visit. Rated 7
On 10th December 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6368 recommendations about 6346 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Orchard Inn
A charming small corner pub in an unpromising part of Spike Island,it's well worth seeking out.There are exterior benches in a small patio,while the single square room has a modern quarry tiled flooring,a raised section to the left with bench seating below the front windows and traditional furniture elsewhere.Lots of CAMRA awards are hanging on the walls,the muzak was gentle and the welcome friendly.
There were 4 casks on stillage offering on my trip Otter Bitter,St Austell Proper Job and a good Bristol Beer Factory Independence (NBSS 3.5),while the fourth cask was settling.The two handpumps were serving real cider and I'm sure there were more options for fans of the apple.
There is a community feel here and it is away from tourist hotspots despite being close to SS Great Britain.Spike Island is a bit remote from the City Centre although there is a useful cross harbour ferry service for easy access to the pubs of Hotwell Road saving a long walk for £1.20.
Make the effort to visit this pub,traditional and authentic. I will be back.
On 30th September 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3261 recommendations about 3261 pubs]
View more reviews of The Orchard Inn (9)
Circular Walk of the Floating Harbour - Bristol by Steve of N21
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- Official site of The Orchard Inn - theorchardinn.co.uk
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Orchard Inn - whatpub.com
Parson Street, 1.42 miles, 27 min walk (show)
Clifton Down, 1.67 miles, 36 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- CAMRA Discount : No - Discount withdrawn - last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Car Park : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Child Friendly : Yes - Until 9 p.m. - last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Darts : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Function Room : Yes last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Jukebox : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Karaoke : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Live Music : Yes last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Micropub : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Pinball : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Pool Table : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
- WiFi : No last updated 22 October 2026 by ROB Camra
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