On a recent trip to the UK, my lovely wife, our daughter and I made plans to visit Liverpool for a…read moreBeatles tour. We were accompanied by a couple of dear friends. Unfortunately, the rain that day was torrential and the wind was gusty, but it didn't dampen our plans, only ourselves. After coming out of Lime Street station, we made a quick walking tour and then a bee-line to O'Neill's. Our booked banquette was thankfully waiting for us and after drying off a bit, we started into the menu. We were there right before lunch time and I had my taste buds set for a nice pub burger, but we could only order off of the breakfast choices at the time. That didn't prevent us from ordering a few pints and cocktails to get us ready for our Beatles tour at 12:30. Between us all, we ordered three breakfast baps, the blueberry pancakes and I had the egg and avocado Benedict. Our food arrived quickly, and not a complaint from the bunch. My Benedict was near perfect, with just a touch of heat to the hollandaise, great to warm me up for our rainy tour. The pint of Carling helped as well. By the time we finished up, the pub was really starting to get packed with the lunch crowd, so we were glad we arrived early so as not to miss our tour. The rain let up enough a little later so we did enjoy our tour, all the better after a satisfying breakfast at O'Neill's.

O'Neill's is an Irish Pub and Grill located on a corner of Liverpool's main clubbing scene (next to…read morePopworld). This lunchtime was the first occasion I'd been to an Irish gastropub and I'm pleased to say that I was not disappointed. Their eye-catching menu was hard to ignore, all sounding delicious but I decided to go for a classic burger meal that came with chips. I know this does not sound the most exciting of meals, however I thought it was one of the more decent burgers I've had. The burger was a lean and meaty 8oz whopper that came in a crisp salad bun accompanied with thick-sliced chips. There was no grease left on my plate which suggested but that the quality of food was healthy. I was also full by the end of the meal which is always a good sign. For only £4.30, Burger King should watch out, it has some competition about! Both the service and food was good. Better than I expected. Next time, I hope to try some of their other meals including Irish steak and of course, the full Irish breakfast.

An old fashioned pub for old fashioned men, this is the type of place you will find older gentlemen…read morewith well established careers in law from the nearby courts and offices or maybe hacks from the Echo newspaper. A very good selection of whiskeys and ales reflects this as does the straightforward division of the place between bar that seemed to be strictly for the gents and any women know their place round their corner in the lounge. I couldn't be totally sure if they did food apart from spying an A4 print out advertising world cup hot dogs. There was a delicious aroma coming from somewhere though, I was just slightly sickened when I assumed it was coming from the rather sad and shrivelled solitary roast chicken that was sat in some sort of heated cupboard.

Think traditional English pub, think Lion Tavern!!! These are the type of pubs that are…read morequintessentially British that majority of us are proud of. Mainly because there is nothing like them anywhere else in the world. Paris is famous for its cafes, we are famous for pubs. When that tourist steps into the Lion Tavern for example they are no doubt probably thinking wow!!! There is a sense of warmth about the place. Now this in itself is an acquired taste environment. The smell of alcohol which might be great for some people is rather off putting for others. In places like these it seems to be stuck to everything. We might as well make these humble abodes whilst stocks last, for I believe they are a dying breed these pubs. Why I may hear you say, inevitability is the reason I reply. The future lies with the youth, and as Anthony points out the majority of the crowd here is old school. When old school is over in the next 20-30 years the place will have to shut down. Cider and cocktails is the future in the health conscious modern society. The sheer fattening capacity of beer and a more educated and globalized modern consumer is slowly but surely shying away from it all. Never the less it is here today and much merriment can be had with a group of friends in a warm welcoming environment at the Lion Tavern. Better make the most of it while it lasts.

Great spot for an inexpensive meal . Right on Mathew's street in the Heart of Liverpool ,…read more l

Great pub! Friendly service and great food. Would definitely recommend this place for anyone…read morewanting to grab a bite in Liverpool.

The best place in town. Very friendly and regular gigs. Saturdays are amazing, you can find people…read morefrom different backgrounds having a nice time with respect and politeness. Regulars are really friendly as well. Wherever you are, always welcome.

The only pub within walking distance of my flat and thank goodness for that. This poet (without…read moreeven knowing it) loves Peter Kavanaugh's. As soon as you walk in, you're transported into your eccentric Uncle's attic. Everything you could think of adorn the walls (including chamber pots), and as you wander over steps and stairs to get to various areas of the bar, you find more and more cool things to look at. Someone, who I'm guessing was a regular, told me that the murals on the wall were painted in the late 20's as a repayment for a bar tab the painter couldn't afford. Whether it's true or not, it's the perfect story for the pub. The decor is extremely warm, with its deeply colored murals, blazing fireplace and leaded windows. I just simply feel good whenever I'm here. The regulars are colorful, hard drinkers and the bartenders are about the same. They all seem to truly enjoy their home away from home. Make sure you tip, though! The owner of the bar has a few rules to keep her place in line and are common courtesy acts you should be doing anyway. I hear they have great food, but the only bits I've ordered were crisps munched on over a really fun quiz they host each week, made even more enjoyable by the patrons and host shouting things at each other from various nooks and crannies of the pub. So if you're looking for a unique time with equally unique people to boot, Peter Kavanaugh's is where to go.

In this pub last night, one of my friends remarked "is there no surface in here that is flat?" -…read moreindeed, it feels as though you're on a boat due to the wonkiness of the whole place. We agreed that most of the wooden surfaces are likely to be warped due to the years of soaking up spilt alcohol. It's a nice pub, pretty much standing alone in the midst of some sort of time warp battle. To the front of it you can see the docks and all the old architecture (what remains, anyway). Directly behind is a building site that appears to have been neglected midway due to lack of funds or something. And then further away you can see all the new developments that have sprung up in the last 5 years thanks to the Liverpool One project. The pub isn't attached to anything anymore, so it has the effect of being a boat moored in ambiguous waters. Inside, there are two small bars and two main drinking rooms, with additional area upstairs if the pub gets too crowded (which I can't imagine it does). The prices are what you'd expect and the decor sparse, with the exception of various nautical memorabilia and a swathe of pictures on all walls depicting various mariner's scenes. Altogether a nice little pub lost at sea.

The Baltic Fleet stands detached from everything else, like a tram left at the wayside. Its…read morelocation between the city centre and the docks means you're hardly going to stumble across this pub and will most likely have made a concerted effort to try it out. I know I did. The Wapping Brewery is located in the cellar, which means the pub gets first dibs of a fine selection of ales. I tried their summer cider and almost lost the use of my legs. No fruit machines or pool tables blight this place which is a grand idea, but I was curious as to why they have no jukebox. On their website they note how they consider this minus to be a plus but the silence just made the pub feel like it was about to shut. As Liverpool's last surviving sailortown pub, the Baltic Fleet has a strong seafaring theme, right from its fearsome name to the maritime decorations on the walls. Sitting inside with the wind blasting down the dock road outside can fool you into thinking you're onboard a steamer crossing the icy North Atlantic. Or maybe that was just the cider.

Ambience is extraordinary. Soak up the 19th century opulence whist sipping a whiskey next to one of…read morethe fireplaces. Dark, clubby, comfortable. Peanuts are The Menu. Music is a disjointed assortment of 60's and 70's. Service is slightly more accommodating than most pubs. This means don't expect much.

Welcoming, warm maze like pub. Edwardian masterpiece as every room is different with plenty of…read moreseating. Enjoy a chat and a drink by one of several fireplaces. They do not serve food, but there are bar bits (snacks) for purchase. Nice variety of beer on tap and inventive, delicious cocktails. I thoroughly enjoyed the "Halfpenny" cocktail. This pub is a must experience when in Liverpool.

Just south of Liverpool City Centre, and close to the two famous Cathedrals, is this gem of a pub…read more With a cosy, traditionally-styled interior consisting of two small rooms, a small bar area and a snug, the only problem is that it can get very busy. Getting a seat on a Friday or Saturday requires an early arrival. (And the snug - well named - is usually occupied by regulars). But the combination of friendly service, five well-kept real ales, and the absence of TV and other distractions makes this a beer drinker's heaven. (I had a nice pint of Jennings Bitter on my last visit.) As the website proudly announces, it is the only pub in Liverpool/Merseyside to have appeared in every edition of the Good Beer Guide (which means for over thirty years), which is some accolade. There's a Quiz night on Tuesdays with a free buffet, and a Cribbage night on Wednesdays. Although I've not eaten here, they serve very traditional bar food - sandwiches, snacks, burgers, chilli, curry, a traditional breakfast etc - all with chips. There are always a couple of veggie options, too. If you are short of time, you can ring ahead to order in advance, though it would seem a pity not to linger a bit, here. If you want something different to eat, Liverpool's Chinatown is only a few minutes away. The Roscoe Head can be a little tricky to find: walking up Leece Street, it's on the bit of Roscoe Street on the left, opposite the ruins of St Luke's church, behind the old Post Office. There are bus stops 50 yards/metres away on Leece Street, and it is a 5-10 minute walk up the hill from Merseyrail's Central Station.

Good little pub and I mean little. The place consists of two small lounges and the smallest bar in…read morethe world, maybe. Actually no there is a pub in Manchester which is just a hallway and the bar is no bigger than a shoe rack. As I dropped in I was sure I was guaranteed a quiet pint as nobody really goes in here not in the afternoon anyway but with it being so small I couldn't get away from the bar maid. Don't get me wrong, lovely old dear who is planning an all inclusive to Turkey this summer but when the conversation is being held over the threshold of two separate rooms you know there is little point trying to continue with the idea of that quiet pint. Good ales on draught including a drop of 'Roscoes' specially brewed by local distillers The Liverpool Organic Brewery - although I was told she thinks they've pulled a fast one and just stuck a different label on the barrel, tasted good to me mind you.

A ramshackle corner buttress of a pub, the Village Inn is just as lived-in as its name suggests…read more It's the kind of place that you just know the locals will pride themselves on choosing, although who they will boast to is a mystery; this isn't exactly one for the tourists. Despite apparently being shut when I visited one wintry afternoon, the barman was only too happy to open up and get the taps working so we could get a pint. He then stuck a few quid in the jukebox and left us to choose the songs ourselves. You don't get staff more helpful than that, provided of course he was a member of staff and not just a foiled burglar.

The Village Inn in Woolton is situated just opposite the old quarry (on Quarry Street). It has the…read moretypical sandstone exterior so common to the village. It may not be the biggest pub in the world but it's got everything you need, including a pool table, now a rarity in the area. Live acts play some nights and there is a juke box. For those driving and not drinking there is a good sized car park just across the road. Hidden downstairs is a huge private function room with its own entrance just off Roddick Street. Its well worth the £50 hire fee and for a reasonable sum the pub will arrange balloons and catering. Both of my parents have had parties here this year and they loved it. This is no ordinary function room, with its various crannies and nooks it's quirky and unusual. Saying that, there is a stage for the DJ and plenty of room for anyone brave enough to dance.