The Portland Arms, St. Albans

pub details:

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location:

St. Albans

address:

63 Portland Street, St. Albans, AL3 4RA

phone:

01727 370575

nearest stations:

St Albans Abbey railway station
(1.1Km)

St. Albans railway station
(1.4Km)

how to find it:

From St. Albans station head down Victoria Road and onto Market Place. From there take Upper Dagnall Street, Lower Dagnall Street and Mount Pleasant (which all run into each other), and look out for Portland Street on the right hand side.

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opening times:

Sun-Thu 12:00-23:00
Fri-Sat 11:00-00:00*
* opening times can change, please check with the pub before organising important events.

In a city with a generous selection of excellent pubs, we'd somehow missed the Portland Arms. That's something we intend to make up for now. Close to the centre, but tucked away down a quiet street, this is an establishment that looks after its regulars while managing to welcome all comers. A Fuller's pub, it has three regular ales, with another pump given over to a guest. The only time we've sampled the food was from their barbecue in the rear garden, and that certainly passed the test. If we hadn't managed to squeeze a ketchup sachet over ourselves then we might have enjoyed it even more. There are live bands most Saturdays, an acoustic night on Sunday, and jazz takes centre stage one Thursday every month. The rest of the time the fairly traditional setting is perfect for a quiet pint. Of further note is the owner's Labradoodle Buster, who writes his own blog (maybe with some assistance) and has a penchant for barking at ladies who are, how can we say, mature. An injunction stops us from doing the same.

reviewed:
03/06/2009