please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Traditional Sam Smiths pub in the centre of Chester on "the Rows" serving real ale - OBB at £ 1.40p on my late September recent visit.
It's typical Sams - unbadged, traditional, no music and with a bit of a "take us as you find us" attitude. There's seemingly very little, if any, effort to attract the hordes of tourists despite the location and attractive building.
The trade appears to be mainly local
I was intrigued to see a large prominent notice in the window stating " no tracksuits / jogging bottoms after 5 pm", which had me wondering to myself why they were acceptable at, say, 4.30 pm, but not an hour later. I was half expecting the fashion police to come round at 5 o'clock on the dot and summarily evict offenders, but there didn't seem to be any anyway !
Definitely worth a visit when in the City Centre.
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Not as easy to find as you may think!!! But a real gem upstairs..The food and staff are very good... Good value and a must if in Chester!!
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Always visit this place when in Chester, the Samuel Smith's mild is a cracking pint, and dirt cheap.Always found the staff very freindly aswell.Top pub.
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A dump basically. Full of alkys! good for a cheap piss up though.
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Decent boozer full of character, typical Sam Smiths pub with very well priced ale, visited several times and always worth a pint, food is decent too.
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Have you seen the really FAT guy who stands near the fruit machine? He will sell you anything! He carries loads of pills and ciggies. LOL
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OK, yes it's cheap. Good for students, but watch what you drink. Keep to bottles, because the beer is awful, tastes really stale. Be careful with lots of dirty old men looking at you all night, some dodgy characters in there!!, :)
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Don't waste your time? What's that about?
DO take your time to come here! This pub is an excellent place, full of life and atmosphere, nearly all through the week.
The beer is excellent and always cold and refreshing, and perhaps most importantly, tastes wonderful. I've always been served quickly too, even when the place is heaving, which is fairly often. Yes, it did used to be a smokey place, however since the no-smoking laws came in, it is as clear as any other place.
Not only is the beer great tasting, but it's extremely cheap (£1.34 for a pint of bitter!) - one of the only places, if not the only where I can get a pint and a packet of crisps for under £2. As such, it's easily one of my favourite pubs in Chester (I'm a student there) - if only it was open later than 11 o'clock!
An wonderful pub - visit if you can!
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Don't waste your time.
I was looking forward to visiting this old pub, tucked away in scenic Chester. However, I was greatly disappointed. Warm, poorly kept beer, below standard food, slow service, and many customers smoking throughout the pub. Never again.
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still a nice pub, but could have given me a glass of water with my beer! - it was a hot day and I bought a pint - so wanted a glass of water to stave off the dehydration but unceremoniously told that they "dont do water". Charming.
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didn't see it before refurb, but even now its a beautiful, cozy little boozer.
well worth a visit.
p.s. samuel smiths are known throughout the land as knocking the spots off other beer prices.
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Never quite been the same since it was refurbished (removing its little booths and the Bavarian-clad little man on top of the Ayingerbrau) but still, like all Samuel Smiths pubs, a treat.
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How can i sum up this pub...??? Damn cheap. This is what pubs were like 100 years ago...only thing missing is the sawdust on the floor.
If you want a cheap pint then go there...if you want any sort of sensible conversation try other pubs.
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small
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REAL PUB.
Very good prices (£1.32 Samuel Smiths, £1.58 Lager).
Gets busy on a race day - but all pubs in Chester do.
I visit again.
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It's race days only, I'm pretty sure, that they use plastic 'glasses'. I was there last summer and all was normal (apart from the prices) and very civilised. A fine place. If you're worried about the attitude to smoking, come to Scotland - we're not even allowed to smoke in bus shelters, far less pubs! The staff, even those who smoke, love it and the punters are coping.
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If you look in the dictionary for the definition of 'Proper English Pub' the answer will simply say 'The Old Boot Inn, Chester'. This really is what pubs should be about, serving quality ale at really affordable prices (£1.32 for Samual Smiths bitter!) in no-nonsense but comfortable old style surroundings.
I recommend that you make the effort and seek out this little jem before the corporate 'big boys' take over and destroy it's character.
My only quibble on an otherwise superb visit would be that the drinks were served in plastic glasses, i'm hoping that this was due to it being Chester races day, but I would appreciate your comments to confirm.
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Efficient bar staff, value for money prices,nice atmosphere.
will definitely call again!
one question needs to be asked though, why plastic glasses?
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Classic Sam Smiths pub, one real ale at a fantastic £1.30.
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Great little boozer this one. Tucked away on the upper tier of Eastgate Row, the pub retains much of the original 17th century structure and character. Didn't try the food so can't comment on it but the booze was fine, although mostly only Samual Smith even down to the diet cola.
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Now then, not to happy bout some of these comments. building regs boy, how wrong can u be? Smoking policy, no different than most bars now. The wooden floor is the smallest area in the pub, so u ain't gonna find it difficult to find somewhere else. Also its to keep smoke away from the staff and to discourage standin at the bar so when u want a beer you don't have to fight ure way through throngs of people. Quite frankly ure insistance to smoke on the wooden floor indicates that ure a knobhead with no consideration for other people and some sort of issue with women telling you what to do. Mother issues.
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This is a fine pub. The absence of music probably also means the absence of the sort of louts who make some other places unbearable. I find the most recent post a bit alarming - last time I was there the price of OBB hadn't hit £1.30 a pint, never mind £1.50. Lunch menu looked interesting.
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The Boot. My God. A home for the waifs and strays of Chester who refuse to psy more than £1.50 for a pint. Plus home to most of the staff from all the record shops in town. If you fancy a heated debate over the merits/drawbacks of any popular beat combo you will find it in here. Be warned Sam Smith's beer induces instant hangovers to all but the faithful.
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[q]Now I quite like this place, but I can't agree with the commendations of the bar staff - they're surly, ineffective and slow,[/q]
Not true, every one of the barstaff is cheerful and friendly, execpt the landlady at closing time, I know I have spent alot of time and money in the place
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The boot Is a good friendly pub,it has everything apart from music,Also you do the the token crazy jocks and irish old men
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Now I quite like this place, but I can't agree with the commendations of the bar staff - they're surly, ineffective and slow, but I guess the other comments are less than objective. Don't even get me on the ridiculous smoking policy - you can smoke in the carpeted area, but not on the wooden floor. You can smoke on the edge of the carpet, with your fag hanging over the wooden floor and blowing your smoke into the no-smoke area, but don't you DARE smoke on the wooden floor with your fag held in the carpeted area. My advice? YOU MUST GO TO THIS PUB, BUT PREPARE WELL IN ADVANCE FOR THE INEVITABLE HANGOVER.
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What can I say...the Boot Inn was once a thriving community of alcoholics and crazies at home in the stagnant heat and, despite the cheap beers and wonderful service, still finding plenty to complain about.
However since the LOSS of 1 of the PRIME barpersons Im sure the fuzzy happyness found only in the Boot has bee sent into turmoil and the happy vibes demolished.
(dont worry all, I am due to return in September)
Wish there was a way to get the music back.
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Sam-awfully upset that you think i'd argue, not at all, Amy is beautiful and i love her, but if you've got me down as that much of a bitch...
Come to the Boot for amazin people and friendly barmaids-give us shit tho and you'll be in trouble! D-Pils highly recommended, gets you deceptively drunk. Don't bother coming in if you won't drink anything other than Fosters(why you would is beyond me),or if you are indeed a chav-the welcome is not as friendly and Emma will probably tell you to fuck back off to Blacon! Unfortunately the days of music are long gone, but despite this the atmosphere is still good and the pub has managed to retain most of its wonderful regulars.
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Best pub in chester, may not have any tunes but if you want to go and have a laugh with your mates, get pissed and not brake the bank, this is the place. mixture of old and young, including crazy jocks.
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Superb. £1.50 for a pint of super strong German lager. And its up a really steep flight of stairs, so any two pint students stand a good change of falling and suffering horrendous injury. Huzzah!!
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This is a fantastic mix of old man and young blood, not to mention Aimee, the most beautiful barmaid alive. I'm sure Emma and Sue would argue, but hey...
I frequent this place when I feel like a happy, warm time, the people are friendly no matter how drunk you get, which is easy considering it's £1.56 a pint of lager (4.3%), though I prefer the cider at £1.59 and 5.2%. If you are true hardcore why not try the D-Pils at a mighty 5.9% and a mere £2.04. My brother tells me the stout is excellent (4.5%), but we both agree unless you will drink the draught don't bother as the liquor ain't so good, the tequila is especially not palatable. Dave is a great Landlord and if it wasn't for Sam Smiths recent no music policy this could well be the best pub in Chester, Even without it is well worth a try.
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Used on New Years Eve. Nice atmos Young and (mainly) pretty set. No Chavs. 2 and a half pints of Sam Smiths £3.20 on NYE!!!Lond and thib town pub in Fab central location
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ithink it was very good 7/10
will - 15 Sep 2004 11:06 |
If you HATE neon, flashing lights and loud music, queueing five deep at the bar and being bumped around by sweaty students then this is the place for you.
It's the exact opposite.
In other words, comfortable, warm and friendly, and serves some great ales at very wallet friendly prices. A proper pub.
Rob H - 31 Aug 2004 01:56 |
Great old school Boozer in an ever changing City where more and more Chain bars are taking over and robbing the place of character and individuality. Try drinking 5 pints of D-Pils and then walking in a straight line... Enjoy this Pub while you can, 'cos one day it won't be there, and you'll have wished you'd been.
John - 29 Jul 2004 14:09 |
great place, dirt cheap, although somewhat let down by the large selection of goths found crying into their pints every friday and saturday
Pete W - 8 Jul 2004 00:17 |
A Sam Smiths pub in an excellent location in the centre of Chester. Old Brewery is served from cask (the only way to drink it, IMHO!), and the pub has a large no-smoking section, which is much needed as they serve food (unfortunately only 'til 2.30pm, though).
Andy - 22 Feb 2004 14:04 |
The Boot is a fantastic old pub situated in the centre of Chester.
By far the oldest pub in Chester it still has it's original architecture dating back to the fifteenth century.
As it is a Samual Smiths pub it still serves traditional cask ales and is always a good place to go for a good pint in the evening.
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