I have only ever had good experiences at the Ty Mawr, particularly with regards to the atmosphere which is friendly and relaxed. It's not the kind of place that I'd go to before a night out, for example, but if you fancy catching up with friends over a drink, it's great. The food was good for pub-type food, though it wasn't spectacular. However, it is good whole hearty food that doesn't pretend to be anything other than it is. Again, it's a Brains pub - you can't really get away from them in Cardiff - so if you're a fan of that, this is obviously the place for you. The service is good, though it's not incredible; but I always come away feeling happy overall. read more

The Ty Mawr (Welsh for Big House for those of you who like that sort of thing) is a big, old house on the way up The Graig. A local or someone comfortable walking along a darkened country lane on the way back from a pub have decent enough access to the place, though most will opt for a drive up the hill. It can be a great place to grab a pint if you've walked over the mountain from the other side before heading down towards civilisation. It is really popular on Christmas Eve and normally sells tickets for entry, so you'd have to book in advance to avoid disappointment. It's a family friendly pub with large oak tables for groups to have some pub grub and talk about nothing much whatsoever. There are two bars but the second is generally only opened on busy days like during the summer holidays. On a hot summer day the pub opens up and can become quite popular with loads of outdoor seating available and a huge field and play park for the kids to run off the sugar from all that lemonade you regret giving them. read more

I find the Ty Mawr hit or miss. Sometimes it's great and sometimes it's poor. In the summer it's a great place to sit outside and look at the great views over Cardiff whilst sipping on a glass or wine or a pint. The food can be pretty decent, the prices aren't bad and it's what you'd expect of a Brains pub that serves food. I've been there in the past and had great food but then again I've been there and had food that resembles nothing as advertised on the menu. The staff are pretty friendly and helpful, although I've been there quite late in the evening and you could tell that all they wanted to do is go home (granted we were some of the last people to leave). If you can deal with the odd screaming child (it's a family friendly place) and don't mind being hit by a football every so often then go there in the summer and chill out with your food outside. read more

Hmm.... Growing up in Lisvane in the 70s, I was aware of the Ty Mawr and have vague memories of a cosy, carpeted red-velvet chair pub, more up market than the 'other ' local and one for traditional Sunday roasts, but nothing that special .... Fast forward to my experience today : tasty and interesting enough wild boar and chorizo burger, preceded by whitebait and followed by Brains Black chocolate brownie .... Nice location , great atmosphere .... But still ultimately nothing special..... Cheese platter good , brownie rich and unlike mains , plentiful .... Chocolate brûlée and Marsala strawberries back to tiny portions and tasteless , the most disappointing dish. All in all , good to have in the neighbourhood if you are a Lisvane local , though those with big appetites may find the portions a touch on the small side, which is probably my main gripe... More of it please chef !!!! read more

We are going to try and be as impartial as possible with this review. As locals we have experienced most of what other people have written in their reviews - the good and the bad. Yes the place is amazing on a lovely summer's day with the best views possible over Cardiff, so relaxing with a good beer while taking in the amazing views. The meals are normally good quality, a touch overpriced, but the service can be very slow on a busy day, not the end of the world if you have a cool beer to enjoy while waiting for your food. We did have a fustrating experience this summer where we queued 6 deep (20 minutes) at the bar for food, only to be told that they had just stopped serving. We haven't been back since but will try them again next summer and maybe edit this review and add a few more stars. For now 2*! read more

Oh dear. The Ty Mawr used to be a lovely pub, set out in the hills above Lisvane, with views across to Cardiff Bay. It used to be a place where you get get good ales, good food and a cosy feeling in the winter. What went wrong? Since Brains have taken over, the place has steadily declined to its present sorry state. The beer is insipid and poorly kept, the food is unappetising and mostly cooked from frozen, kitchen staff are dirty, the interior of the pub looks like it hasn't been cleaned for years, and the outside area is unkempt. It would be so easy to improve this pub and make it one of the best in Cardiff - all it would need is a bit of care and attention and it would be a goldmine. Employ a cleaner and a decent chef, take some lessons from CAMRA on how to serve beer properly, feature regular guest ales, and wait for the money to start pouring in. Instead it sits neglected, a sad reminder of better times gone by. read more

Beautiful pub, beautiful setting, nice food, playground for the kids... and ABYSMAL service. They say "sir" and "madam" and are very polite - but they don't do much more than that. The food is fine, but they brought the youngest child's meal out last (which speaks to the general level of cluelessness here), after having taken AN HOUR AND A HALF to deliver any food at all. Four drink orders never even arrived. I should emphasise also that the restaurant was almost empty, so God help them on busy days. To make matters worse, the staff also had no interest in clearing the table. When I took to taking in glasses and plates myself, the three (THREE!) people behind the bar (doing literally nothing, other than chatting amongst themselves) just stared at me blankly, said "Thaaaanks" and failed entirely to take the hint. In the end, two courses took 3 hours. We wanted dessert but didn't bother ordering any because we were simply too worried about how long it would take. Never going back. The staff WILL run this place into the ground. read more

I went here for sunday lunch today and it was poor. The service was pretty good in fairness especially the waitresses but the manager had a slight air of someone who ran a really high class place, which unfortunately this place is not. we waited at the bar and i was charged 9 pounds for 2 halves of coke, 1 j20 and a hot chocolate for my 6 year old which seemed a tad high. we then ordered 2 adult and 2 children beef roasts. They came out almost instantly which has got to be a worry (pre carved and plated at 3.30 pm). The roast potatoes were not crispy and pale in colour, the carrots were well cooked as was the rest of the limited veg (al dente) the gravy tasted cheap and processed and the beef was like cardboard. The kids ate very little. It cost £43 including two good value £1 scoops of ice cream for the kids. the decor is stunning as are the views and this could be the best pub in cardiff. However brains seem to have no clue on serving food well. The quality of the beef is poor as was the execution. I have recently returned from london to wales and have eaten in about 15 brains pubs over the last 2 years. I have to say that from the yard to the new cowbridge duke, to the 2 for 1 on a48 that has recently re opened all were poor. They need to employ someone who can get the group to deliver good consistent food because based on my experience only market presence have kept them in business. read more

Initial server was a little surly and it took a while for someone to take our order. There was a single meal error which was rectified immediately. The atmosphere was pleasant and friendly overall. A lot has changed since my last visit, however I would still consider it a preferred restaurant. read more

Food excellent, beer diverse and well kept and above all staff wonderful.Well worth a visit!

had a loveley time up here, i couldnt under stand why the pub was so quite food came quickly and tasted great, and a superb view over cardiff!!!!!!!!! read more