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Bristol Advice needed

27 posts & 16 voices | Started 11 months ago by keppoch | Latest reply from deadlydarcy

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keppoch - Member

I am organising a Stag Do for a friend, it is next weekend.

The daytime activities are sorted but our night out in Bristol is not! Any suggestions?

We will need somewhere to eat dinner and then a few places to go out ending with somewhere that is open late has music and beer.

We are staying in the city centre near Cabot circus, a bit of a walk is OK but we don't want to be trekking from one side of the city to the other. Also need to have some certainty that we will get in places.

For the meal I am thinking something better than KFC, sit down and good food but not 5 courses.

For the night out I think we will go to a few places but end up somewhere later on. Looking to avoid Flares and the like and our stag won't be wearing a mankini so would like to go somewhere decent but not so cool for school that a 12 man stag do won't get in.

Suggestions?

Posted 11 months ago #
simonlovell999 - Member

There are plenty of restaurants/pubs down corn street which isnt to far from cabot circus area, like 15 min walk. there is some restaurants/pubs a bit further down by the harbourside like hooters, pitcher n piano, lloyds bar, lagunas and a club down there as well. So plenty of choices to choose from. There are casino's around if your sort of thing?

Hope that helps

Posted 11 months ago #
Mikeypies - Member

What is the age spread ?

Posted 11 months ago #
nickjb - Member

King Street is good. A few good pubs (royal navy volly to get you started, then the Llandoger and old duke for a bit more liveliness) and if the weather if good there quite a few people out on the street. Head into the Apple for a few ciders, one of the really serious ones for the stag. There's a good indian and late night drinking and pizza in Renata's. There's a few clubs on Baldwin Street although they are all a bit average. Mr Wolfs is a bit different, does food and late drinking.

Posted 11 months ago #
keppoch - Member

We are around 28-35 in age.

Gambling will not be our thing tbh.

Thanks for the suggestions, any more welcomed.

Posted 11 months ago #
Mintman - Member

+1 the Apple cider boat. Some proper gut rotting stuff in there and definitely worth a visit.

Posted 11 months ago #
andyl - Member

Was going to suggest Old Duke.

Several good places for dinner round there too.

Masa Japanese on Baldwin street (book a private chef if there is a group), Severnshed on Welshback, Glass boat and the one next to it opposite the Old Duke. San Carlo on Corn Street (loads of bars there).

Of course there is always Hooters but it's a bit of a trek.

Posted 11 months ago #
keppoch - Member

Any further intel' from the weekday STW'ers?

Gut rotting ciders! Sounds ideal for the groom

What about after we have warmed up with dinner and a few drinks? Lively bars/clubs?

Posted 11 months ago #
ridingscared - Member

Corn Street is ok for a punch up or to watch young girls spewing imho, the only exceptions being Start The Bus and Mr.Wolfs around the corner.

If it were me I'd take them to Zero Degrees for a bit of grub and a few pints of black lager, then into the Smiles bar, up round the back of Park Street to Manos bar, then maybe the Park if you still have a taste for it. Browns is nice also if its warm because you can sit outside.

Posted 11 months ago #
clubber - Member

Ditto ridingscared. Avoid watershed area (though actually the watershed is ok) as it's a mecca for fighting. Stick to the upper parts of the hill and you'll be good.

Posted 11 months ago #
keppoch - Member

Evening, thanks for the last couple.

Is Manos Bar the same as Hermanos?

And also where is Smiles Bar? Tried Google but to no avail, probably being stupid.

Posted 11 months ago #
clubber - Member

looks like Smiles has closed I'm afraid.

Posted 11 months ago #
backhander - Member

Whiteladies road.

Posted 11 months ago #
supersaiyan - Member

how late and what music? Ramshackle on friday is a big indie night at the O2 academy. You cant come to Bristol and not have a half of old bristolean on the apple boat, +1 for: llandoger, old duke, STB, wolfs, big chill bar.
if you do head up to zero degrees you'll be quite close to the woods which is open late and has the largest whisky selection in town.

Posted 11 months ago #
Philby - Member

Avoid Whiteladies Road as the 3 large theme bars have all closed down in the last few months.

Hermanos is the same as Manos Bar on the Triangle - but may be difficult to get groups of guys into.

Zero Degrees is a good choice for food and beer. The Smiles Bar (used to be called the Brewery Tap I think) has been renamed its at the top of Colston Street about 50 metres away from the lower entrance to Zero Degrees.

King Street has a few decent pubs (Old Duke, Llandoger Trow and the Apple) - and Renatos for late night pizza. There's a large chinese restaurant at the end (can't remember its name).

Mbargo on the Triangle might be worth trying for post pub drinking, and there are a few other clubs (The Bunker, Lizard Lounge, Poo Na Na, La Rocca) in the vicinity - not sure about groups of guys getting in though, so you may need to split up.

Another option for eating is Mud Dock - although the bike shop below will be closed.

Posted 11 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

Is Manos Bar the same as Hermanos?

Yep - they just had shit signwriters.

Posted 11 months ago #
ransos - Member

Since when has the Llandoger been a decent pub? The beer's been terrible every time I've gone in there. Stick to the Old Duke - decent ale and good live music...

Posted 11 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

Since when has the Llandoger been a decent pub?

Phew...I'm glad someone else thinks this too. I've lived in Brizzle for eleven or twelve years and it's been a shit pub since the day I arrived.

Anyway, as for suggestions, well it depends on what "kind" of stag you're on...The Apple is good but honestly, don't stay there drinking for ages...you could have some serious early casualties. The cider there is very very strong (well, not all of it) but you know what groups of blokes are like - they'll be going for the 8% stuff the second they see it.

If you want to be able to cruise bars in a large group, bumping into other hen parties, then the waterfront is good - not the place for a trendy trendy pint, but around the "cooler" parts of town, you'll struggle in a large group to get into places. Splitting up is all very well until one group of three doesn't get in.

The Mud Dock is a good place to eat - far better than a few years ago but the tosser that was running the restaurant back then is gone now. They won't mind a bit of jolliness but you'd have to reign in any rowdy behaviour there.

Anyway, have a good time. If the weather's kind, it's a great town for outdoor drinking - there's a large area outside the Arnolfini where you can all sit outside and have a few beers and watch the harbourlife float by (as well as the honeys).

Posted 11 months ago #
richc - Member

not sure if you will have a lot of luck with some bars and clubs, with a group of 12 as I am seeing more and more signs pointing out no admittance to large single sex groups

Posted 11 months ago #
backhander - Member

Zero degrees is shit IMO. Expensive pizzas and horrible beer.
Manos is *really* small. Maybe try Goldbricks, woods and the ram on park st? Meander up to the triangle and try the bars up there?

Posted 11 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

Zero degrees is shit IMO

+1

Have never eaten there but their beer is shit!

OP, what's your plan then?

Posted 11 months ago #
pjt201 - Member

Zero degrees is shit IMO

+2 - the food there went down hill a couple of years ago (i don't know how since they only really make pizzas) and the service is terrible. quite like the beer though.

Posted 11 months ago #
woody74 - Member

Why not try somewhere like All Bar One on Corn St for food, pretty large table, easy going and beer is really good. Late night music wise it all depends on what you like, loads of students in Bristol so lots of clubs are shit holes but it all depends on what you like.

Posted 11 months ago #
keppoch - Member

Cheers for all this, some really good advice.

Planning to eat either at Canteen (Stokes Croft) or Las Iguanas (as a fallback if I can't book Canteen) then a lap of some bars including the Apple and Park Street before returning for late drinks and music at Start the Bus or Big Chill.

This has been really useful, keen not to tour generica chains (OK already set to contradict that with Las Igaunas!).

Have marked all recommendations up on a map

Posted 11 months ago #
Philby - Member

It will be interesting to know whether you will be able to book the Canteen on a Saturday evening as its quite an anarchic place which is usually rammed - although with it being Glastonbury many of its regulars will be wading through the Somerset mud smoking their herbal ciggies.

Its a great place and the food is interesting and great value, but I'm not sure it would on my list of places to eat on a stag night.

Posted 11 months ago #
backhander - Member

You do know there's a Hooters in briz don't you?

Posted 11 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

I'm not sure you can book The Canteen...and while I'd recommend it for a birthday party or something like that, I'm not sure it's good for a stag-do I'm afraid. It's a bit of a shlep from there to the other places you're heading for.

Please pleasze avoid Hooters - it might close the place down.

I've eaten at birthday parties in Las Iguanas - and it's actually alright for a chain. It'll have a good atmosphere and you'll be pretty central to a lot of other pubs. Weather is set fair for Saturday I think so you'll have plenty of opportunities to do some outside drinking.

Have you thought about a boat trip around the harbour? I'm pretty sure they serve beer on the boats...gets you a different perspective of the city.

Posted 11 months ago #