Thanks to amicable staff, decent mix of customers and number of bright and jolly world flags…read morestapled to the ceiling, the Wellington tends to comes across as one of the more welcoming of the local pubs on Wavertree High Street. Its regular-propping L-shaped bar leads off in both directions to comfortable wooden back rooms that can cater a good wake. That was one of my experiences of this place, okay? It wasn't just a staggeringly specific example of what you yourself could get up to. Standing outside at night and peering down the bleak emptiness of Wellington Road, the pub begins to feel like its standing on a frontier into more uncertain territory. This is why I packed in my habit of standing on pub doorsteps in favour of sitting inside pondering where else I can avoid.

The Wellington, or "The Welly" as it's apparently affectionately known, although I have never heard…read moreof anyone refer to it as that. Anyhow, firstly it killed me to go into a pub where all the signs outside have at least one spelling or grammatical error! From the outside, The Wellington doesn't look much, it looks like a typical old man's pub. However, inside it's a bit warmer and friendlier. The staff are lovely and will chat to anyone who walks up to the bar, but it is a proper locals pub. The drinks are a decent price and the space is quite pleasant as their are functions rooms towards the back.

fab local pub,busy every evening good variety of drinks available…read morestaff are great bunch.

Kelly's dispensary is a bit different to the many other pubs on the Smithdown road and this is no…read morebad thing at all. Being different is certainly a good thing and this place really make it work to their advantage. The atmosphere here is always good and the decor is excellent too and it all makes for a really wholesome pub experience. The thing I enjoy most about this pub is the range of beers on offer, they have real ales and bottles of beer from all around the world and I felt it was my duty to try as many of these as possible and I can safely say it made for a good time. The crowd in here tend to be older but this doesn't affect the atmosphere it just means that rather than having a rowdy bunch of students you have a rowdy bunch of middle aged men and the occasional drunken fool like me lounging around in the corner. Good times

Well, The Clachan is never my first choice of pub on Smithdown, mainly because we never make it…read morepast Kellys! However, it would be a shame to overlook this pub as it's got a great atmosphere with a good mix of students and locals as it is pretty central to student territory. They also have a pub quiz on Tuesdays (9pm start if you're keen!) for a £50 cash prize, now who can say no to £50 to end a night of what we can only assume will be drunken 'No, it's definitely A, well possibly C' and 'Engelbert Humperdinck wasn't his real name though was it?!''s. So pop in for a pint, and you might find that you've discovered a new local, at least somewhere a bit quieter to go if you've found yourself in the Brookhouse beforehand.

This is possibly the most boring pub ever, well along what is normally a busy and lively mix of…read moreestablishments along Smithdown anyway. The Clachan is only on the radar of thos who neither fit the bill of student or grad, local or old. It belongs mainly to those wishing to purely drink to death. Me and a mate have ventured in when other pubs have been too busy because of football or just wishing to have a pint in every place that we pass and God the atmosphere is a killer - I'm not sure if the dog belonged to anyone in there or was part of the decor but its sad face looked like it would say 'end it' if it had a chance, I mean I've even seen some of those dogs with homeless guys who at least have an expression of 'well, we've had some adventures along the way'. There are many other places along Smithdown, not all good but at least with something about them.

Large menu with varied meat,vegan and vegetarian options. Fellow diners had vegan scouse (stew),…read moreHummus w/toast points, salt n pepper fries and I had beet root and feta salad. Nice large portions so everyone could share. Service was friendly and efficient. Outdoor beer garden, dog friendly and free large parking lot. Great place to enjoy a game.

This is one of those locals for all walks of life. When I was last here, the vibe was positive and…read morefilled with excitement, which was perfect for my visiting guest from the US! She was in love with this "pub" setting, yet it was more than she had expected. The interior of the Dovey is a bit jumbled with walls and columns and steps to other areas, but there is so much seating for everyone. Despite all the expansive space available, the interior is very warming and homey: the dark wood filling the space, the original tiled flooring, and the bits of vintage pub decor dotting the nooks. I've visited the Dovey on a few occasions, but I think it gets better with each visit. Definitely recommend this local for anyone residing in Allerton or anyone visiting Penny Lane. Great atmosphere and very inviting! Oh, and dog-friendly!

From the outside, the Willow Bank looks confident in its status as a singular building. Once you…read morestep inside, however, you realise it's been crudely welded together from at least nine different pubs. Seriously, it looks like a pub showroom. The clincher is the number of televisions. Count them and you find that there's more screens present than the maximum number of occupants allowed. With its real ale selection and low-priced grub, the Willow Bank is a soothing location to step off Smithdown into. That is, after all, if its a placid night. The dark side comes once there's a match on. With its barking squadron of TVs inside and its gigantic roll-down screen taking up the whole front wall outside, this is the place everyone in the neighbourhood will flock to. Of course, if you like football, you may find it slightly less hellish than I do. But if you find soccerball rightfully odious, don't say I didn't warn you.

The Willowbank is in the student hub that is Smithdown and it fits in perfectly as it is a well run…read moreand friendly pub which provides the kind of value for money that students lap up. This place has a lovely ambience which manages to fuse all the characteristics of a classic old pub together with the kind of things that make it appealing to the younger student crowd. The staff here are also a mixture of young and old and no matter what their age they know how to friendly and fast and most importantly of all they can pull a great pint. This place comes into its own in the summer when you can sit in the outdoor seating area and relax with a cold one. In many ways it is almost a smaller version of The Brookhouse but without the chain pub feel which in my eyes makes it superior. The Willowbank is a great pub and a real winner no matter what your age.

Great local pub. Came in for the band friday, off the rails…read more Wow they where fantastic. Place was bouncing! Certainly return!

The Richmond is just on the outskirts of the Allerton area and as such, seems to attract all those…read morewho are vocally opposed to the high heeled brigade who tramp up and down Allerton Road. In the daytime it is bright and airy and has a fairly decent menu for somewhere that doesn't consider itself to be a gastropub. In fact, it's one of the only pubs that claims food is served all day (or until 9pm at least) and has successful themed nights like curry night on a Thursday. In the evening, it seems to be popular with people who work in the local area and have just knocked off, rather than people who live in the local area and have just spent 2 hours getting ready. A typical pub where you're bound to bump into someone you know and you inevitably get stuck in the loos having a good old gossip with someone you only met 5 minutes ago. This is a nice place to socialise locally, and there tends to be a more mature crowd, although there isn't a defined age range.

Marking the northernmost bow of Smithdown Road, as well as the pointless accomplishment at me now…read morehaving drank in every available location on the street, the Boundary was nothing at all like I'd imagined. The silent old man's pub of my mind was in fact a voluminous, energetic place with a high ceiling and a huge bar. As we sat drinking, wondering how long it is until we can leave, a cackling, elephantine woman came up to us and pointed out the fact we were sat at one of the tables between the booths and the bar. I don't have a clue what kind of system this place works under but this was probably the table that only the dog-buggerers sit at. If so, thanks for not telling me, Boundary.

Initially, the landlord of Rhubarb intended his new venture to compliment his already successful…read moretenure of the Parkfield next door to this new Lark Lane establishment. The idea was to obviously expand the Parkfield with something the same but not quite. Just like the Parkfield, Rhubarb is a traditional British pub, decked in a dark wood interior and keeping it simple behind the bar. However after a falling out with the owners of the Parkfield site, he simply moved himself and his staff and most of his punters next door with him. The competition is only a good thing for the Lane as for too long I have bemoaned the lack of pubs along Lark Lane as it has favoured wine bars or tapas restaurants. Rhubarb is only small but that only adds to a friendly atmosphere amongst a customer base who all seem to know each other and whose conversations bounce around the place making you feel very welcome. And with plenty of screens around you can always get a good view of any sport on show - of course 9 times out of ten that might be horse racing.

Visiting on a glorious afternoon, the first thing that I noticed about Rhubarb, compared to most…read moreother establishments on Lark Lane, was how dark it was. Obviously for a British pub that ultimately means nothing, but the fact natural light made it six inches into the place before giving up the ghost made me want to reverse. Rhubarb is more suited to the night, when the surrounding Mediterranean eateries are too packed with people having dinner to enjoy as places to drink. Oh, and that's not just some weird Spaniard muttering things to you in the gents. It's a language tape. I repeatedly forget this.

This is a pub reborn And back to its original name the…read moreAigburth ar It's been a shame this pub was relaunched during a pandemic but the place is absolutely fantastic ran by lovely couple they have put a team together that's in their mold Live music is a big part in the Aigburth Along with sports and has a simple food menu that really works well fir the style of pub

Famously the pub where slobby Red Dwarf protagonist Dave Lister was found in a box as a baby, the…read moreVictoria, or Aigburth Arms as it used to be known/will be known by the year 2155 when that event happens, is not actually worth a visit. With its low ceiling and clean but soulless decor, the pub falls short of being the place it has the potential to be. For a large, purpose-built tavern near a park, it sure does feel oddly claustrophobic. Lengthwise, the place is spacious enough but the drink selection isn't anything special and everything feels faintly tacky. Still, its place in pop culture at least is secure. This is after all the pub where Rob Grant and Doug Naylor concocted their idea for a sci-fi-sit-com, scribbling its details down on a beermat. By the time the last surviving human is discovered underneath the pool table here, the pub may have improved. I won't hold my breath though, and not just because it's 145 years away.

Other Place is one of the oldest diners down Allerton Road and has firmly held it's place since the…read moreincreased popularity of the South Liverpool area. The restaurant is across two floors, the downstairs has a small bar and a lively atmosphere, whereas upstairs has a calm and chilled out vibe. As you may well have established, tapas is my kind of thing, and Other Place just do it so well. My favourites would have to be gratin dauphinois, the seabass, and the chicken liver parfait. The staff are really friendly, and attentive without overcrowding you. A lovely evening out.

I'm not sure how I have overlooked reviewing this place for so long when I have had to put up with…read morethe many poor cafe restaurants that neighbour the Other Place. This restaurant has been a mainstay for Allertons diners for many years now and can still get busy well in advance of a Friday and Saturday night. Despite also serving a tapas selection - the default setting for almost all Liverpool restaurants these days - the Other Place stays ahead of its rivals through good service and a good environment in which to dine. I felt at home in here and was put at ease by the friendly staff and cosy interior. It goes to show that it is the simple things that will get the best results.