please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Remains a good drinker's pub. Had a pint of Oakham Red Ruby and Nethergate Black Pig stout and both were on good form. A favourite with visiting fans to SAFC.
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It's a fair slog uphill from St Albans Abbey railway station to the Mermaid. But it's still my favourite pub in the city. Although my opinion is swayed by its excellent range of ciders. The ale range is good, but more limited. Yesterday, ales were Oakham Citra, Front Row Crouch & Hartley's Heroes, Wickwar Cotswold Way, Bateman's Hooker & Beartown Black Bear. Ciders were Farmer Jim's Sweet, Scrumpy Wasp Hibernate, Gwynt y Ddraig Happy Daze & Celtic Warrior, Thatcher's Stan's Big Apple & Stan's Traditional, Barbourne Painted Lady Perry, Broadoak Moonshine, Pheasant Plucker & Spiced Cider, Snails Bank Orchard Dry & Orchard Pig Maverick. A couple of new ones there for me. There were a few St Albans City football fans in there playing darts at one end, with other drinkers at the other side of the bar. A great traditional pub that should be on any pub tour of St Albans.
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The new landlords have now been in for three years and the place is as good as it's ever been. Great music on Wednesdays too.
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I visited during a beer festival and the place was full of St albans City football fans, who were rowdy but good natured. Excellent selection of craft and Belgian bottled beers as well as ales and good to see some decent lager including Pilsner Urquel available. It's a mixed but friendly crowd in here and I think I might start coming more often.
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You'll see from my previous review that this opened under new management a couple of years ago. I'm please to see that the new landlords have just celebrated their second anniversary here and I went along to see the superb "The Way Back" band at their birthday bash.
Well done chaps. Keep up the good work.
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Unpretentious traditional pub with emphasis on dynamic and varied selection of ales and ciders. Many activities such as music features on Wednesdays and Bank Holiday Mondays, beer & cider festivals, regular Spanish language night, pub games. Lively throughout the week with loyal clientele.
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Finally got back to the Mermaid after a couple of years away and very glad to see that the new management has returned the place to what it once was - a friendly, decent old school boozer with a good atmosphere selling well kept ale - long may it continue!
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hi correct number for this pub is 01727 568912
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After a 9 pub crawl of this excellent town for drinking, the Mermaid just about clung on to top spot as our favourite. Pie MInister pies and scotch eggs will always please this reviewer (although we regretfully did not partake) but Oakham Citra and York Brewery's Guzzler were both excellent and the place has slightly more of a hipster feel than its rivals.
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Fast becoming my favourite place to drink in St. Albans. Varied selection of ales and cider always on. Usually a dark mild and brown bitter on. Makes a change from citrus flavoured beer. Handy for St.Albans F.C.home games in Clarence Park nearby. There is a selection of Belgian bottled ales behind the bar too.
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Recently reopened under new management. Thankfully they haven't ripped the guts out of it and it's still a traditional local. They have a good range of beers and particularly ciders, and the best music you'll find in St Albans on a Wednesday.
They're certainly making an effort and I hope they succeed.
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Ale range somewhat predictable these days. Manageress seems disinterested in anything (apart from her own appearance). One particular barperson needs tutelage in manners and how to pour a pint. A pity.
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A dreadfully overpriced pub , ridiculous really (r they in central London), God paid less for a beer in the Savoy bar! Awful ripoff of a place. A very lazy pub with idle staff. Shame really as nice location.
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Vastly improved from a few years ago. Very different feel to the place. Great selection of ales & bottled beers.
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nice clean pub, good range of ales at reasonable prices, friendly staff, does 6 mixed thirds for 6 quid, lots of ciders available, try it.
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I used to use this pub regularly 3-4 years ago, so i decided to give it another go recently and now i can safely say that it has been added back to the top of my St Albans list to visit. With a decent atmosphere and good beer!
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Walking past and couldnt resist the lure of live music. The guy was very good. Although there were lots of ales on, the one i chose was the worst of the night of four st albans pubs. Flat and lifeless. The pint, not the band.
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Very good quality beers today including a new oakham, cotswold, 2 hambletons , citra and a porter plus loads of ciders. prices good when compared to beer quality, still take wetherspoon vouchers 1 per visit.
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As others say, the pub has improved - could it have got much worse? But, the pint I had today (early evening) was only just about OK. If only the beer would go back to what it was about 3-4 years ago ....
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This place has changed a lot and for the better. It seems bigger to me now, though it still retains the dart board etc. Very good choice of ales & ciders, plus bottled Belgian ales. The outside seating at the back is pretty basic but nice enough when the sun is shining.
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Tes, all good news! Welcome Emily and Dan to the rescue! What a difference! Now re-added to my list of locals!
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The pub has improved dramatically since Sam & Emily took over. It has returned back to what it was - a friendly community pub.
Top beers and Cider and a friendly welcome.
Hope they get the lease soon.
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Pub recently changed with new young landlords, Dan and Emily from Rugby, replacing Kevin, who has now gone to The Farmers Boy down the road.
The Mermaid is an exceptionally friendly pub that attracts all types of people. The beer is very well kept, and currently (April 2012) they are taking 50p Wetherspoons vouchers so you can get a superb pint for under �3. The range of ciders is probably the widest in St Albans. There's also a very good selection of bottled beers (many Belgian), and a wine list with a few different varieties. The pub sells locally made pork pies which look delicious.
There's one TV, which is often used for background music, and a fruit machine (no juke box or video games machine any more). Darts team plays on Thursdays, Wednesday evening is open mic night, often with very good quality guests playing their own acoustic stuff.
Toilets are much improved, as is the general decor and cleanliness of the pub. One of the best pubs in town, and well looked after.
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A great find this one. I've recently moved to St Albans from Kentish Town & was missing The Southampton Arms greatly! This will fill the void no end. Great range, including mild & porter when I visited. Bar staff knew their stuff and were friendly. Top marks - keep it up!
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Paid a return visit here on Sunday after noticing that they had a cider festival on. It wasn't overly busy and we secured a table fairly easily. The clientele were a mixture of young and old, with a large group playing darts. The young guy behing the bar was extremely knowledgeable about his beers and ciders. 10 beers were on, as normal - Oakham Citra, Scarlet Macaw & Green Jack, Salamander Squonk Stout, Nethergate Priory Mild, Tring Bob's Pass, Island Wight Gold, Cotleigh Tawny Bitter, Moorhouses Black Witch & Adnams Southwold Bitter. The cider and perry range wasn't quite as exclusive as that experienced at the beer festival at Egham United Services club on the Thursday. But they did have around 20-30 different varieties from Westons, Broadoak, Cornish Orchards, Millwhites, Gwynt y Ddraig, Orchard Pig, Mr Whiteheads & Thatchers. I suspect many of these will still be on now, as not many people were drinking them. Am upgrading my rating of this pub, as it is a reliable boozer and a must on any crawl of St Albans.
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cider and beer fest this weekend all at 6 thirds for�6 all in good condition, clean pub, helpful staff, give it a try.
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the chains owner has staff in until a landlord can be found, has been refurbished, offer of �6 for 6 thirds at present.
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Not as homely as many of the pubs in St Albans put the Oakham ales I had were superb.
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GREAT OAKHAM BEERS IN HERE SATURDAY,GOOD PORTERS AND A RANGE OF STRENGTHS.
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Sooner or later, the end of a cask will be approached and the last couple of pints may be iffy. All you have to do is ask them to change it. In my experience, quality here usually varies between very good and excellent.
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Generally has a good variety of beers, but suffers from variable quality, so I'm sticking to the Blacksmith's Arms and Lower Red.(Would include the White lion if it wasn't so expensive).
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Pub No.7
Ok Pub
Good beer
Ok service
Recommended: 6/10
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Had a marvellous pint of a 9% Oakham beer in here a couple of weeks ago, thats what you get here, good ale to try. Dulldolly, is this a gay pub? I did see the exterior of the pub eyeing up The Peacock once when it had that shockingly bright orange paint job.
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Nice little pub.....agree with brazilianjo81 about the music quiz though.....will lose custom rather than gain it I'm afraid...
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Said jukebox (with its largely appalling selection) has been renovated, with the addition of garish flashing lights, and has reappeared to cause random irritation at the Farmers Boy. Meanwhile, the largely appealing selection of ales at both pubs continues regardless. Who won?
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Argh, they've removed the jukebox. This is appalling!
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So dissapointed to here that awful man is going to be doing his awful music quiz here.
think ill be changing /pubs, shame dat.
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Is this a gay pub? It's certainly very macho and I was made to feel very unwelcome.
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First pub on my first visit to St Albans, and I left fairly impressed. The landlord wasn't quite as grumpy as I had been expecting. The beer range was good - Oakham Citra, Dark Star Hophead, Brew Dog The Edge, Nethergate Three Point Nine, Batemans Victory Ale and Northern Navajo. The cider and perry range was also good, with Mr Whiteheads Midnight Special, Westons Old Rosie & Traditional Scrumpy and Addlestones. The pub is a comfortable single room local and is not too far from the station.
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Beer inconsistent at best, kitchen condemmed, environmental health complaints, filthy toilets, dump of a garden and a surly, grumpy landlord... Ok so this was once a good pub but even the loyal locals have had enough!
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Always liked this place even in it's Everard days but although the tie has gone it hasn't changed from being a proper pub (they do have cheese evenings though for those so besotted by enlarging their guts that they can't go outdoors without feeding thier faces). Unusual brews included Hophead stuff and a wheat beer but I went for the Steaming Billy mild - which I drank at a decent pace considering it was the arse end of my drinking day. Only problem is that this is the last pub towards the station from this end of the town. Handy for the football ground .
anonymous - 1 Aug 2010 18:16 |
yes I know I can't spell b4 some smart a points it out.
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kevin in hear keeps a very good pint of beer and always has a mild/Porter on which I like. I agree people have been a bit harsh about this place, im not sure why , maybe they are West brom fans? Its not as expensive as the White Lion which also serve a good pint but can be hard on the wallet.
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Once again for a Stalbo pub, I think the reviews on here are two harsh. I liked this very much when I visited: plenty of different ales (can't remember what I had, but it was well-served and very drinkable), and a nice local atmosphere with three or four locals enjoying a very well-informed discussion about politics at the bar. I shall certainly return.
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Sweaty lads' pub. Not very comfortable.
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This pub has so much potential. Even though the landlord is very likeable and truly passionate about beer he is not passionate about this pub. His own Alehouse beers are, on the whole, excellent and all others are well kept. Hophead is a regular. One can never be sure if food will be on or the 'Thursday' Cheese Night is running. The Mermaid desparately needs a deep clean. If the Landlord receives a better offer,eg. darts or Wolves FC, the pub and it's customers come last and suffer. Soon all of the regulars will have gone elsewhere and become infrequent visitors.
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I like the beer choice very much - it's usually in good nick - but not much else. I wanted this place to be my local but.......
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Beer good, and a decent selection, but the place always seems to be dead and devoid of any hint of atmosphere...
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'Fat' George continues to work his unique magic on what was once a pretty decent pub. Everything he touches turns bad (see comments on his former tenancy The Lower Red Lion). The poor levels of cleanliness and surly service make this a depressing experience. There are much better pubs in St Albans, thank goodness. 3/10.
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What is going on here? One night the ale will be outstanding, the next week it will be almost undrinkable.
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Beer choice and condition has been excellent during the past couple of weeks. Keep it up! The last Saturday cheese club was a hoot too (this only happens one saturday a month).
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Beer quality and choice excellent. Showing signs of a bit more tlc since last visit.
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An old-skool local which sport an interesting selection of 8 real ales and cider - my two were in good nick. As well as guest ales there are also 'guest crisps' - a good reason to go in I'd say!
Features include a dartboard, TV and some old-style pub games. The pub spider plants need some urgent TLC and the toilets smelt of old wee and Sunday lunch which was rather unappealing. There were very few punters inside given it was mid-Sunday afternoon.
Well-worth a stop for the beer but could be a lot better with some simple touches and upgrades. I wasn't tempted to stay for too long.
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Great range of beer. Service was so-so. Not the friendliest of places but no trouble either. Will probably go back sometime but in no rush to.
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As well as the misinformation espoused by the cider man, I'd say there are some other weaknesses in the new set-up. The good things from the LRL have been transferred here, true, but so have some of the bad things: beers changing almost by the day, a bloke-ish atmosphere, men breaking wind etc etc. I am a real ale drinker and CAMRA member, but the atmosphere here feels incredibly cliquey compared with the welcome that existed when Kate and Peter ran the pub. That said, the quality of the beers has been fine so far, which wasn't always the case in the LRL. The Mermaid remains one of the best pubs in St Albans for real ale, but not THE best.
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Best real ale in St Albans. Quiet atmosphere in the afternoons. I can read the paper without any bother.
One local is a gold-mine of information. For instance, did you know that Kenny Everett wrote Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy or that Radio 2 DJ David Jacobs' nick-name was "pop-pickers fluff". Stay off the Moonshine cider, mate...
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Visited for the second time in four weeks, at the beginning of a crawl with a friend on his birthday. Convivial atmosphere, pleasant lighting and decor.
Cheery locals - the table next to us were very humorous and the session began with a good laugh. We only stopped for one pint, Moorhouse's Black Cat mild was just perfect, on very good form indeed.
The festival last month was great too, everything good about the LRL has transferred in, and the range of beers, festival or no festival, is a reason to make this a #1 pub in St Albans.
Great stuff
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Best pub for real ale in St.Albans. Beer festivals are good too.
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So many good beers, so few customers has usually been my experience, although I usually visit on a Sunday afternoon. Today there are two from local Alehouse Brewery and a couple I've not seen before. Always a cider on as well. Good place for a quiet beer and not too far a walk from St Peter's St (cut through via the Alban Arena).
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I visited during the recent beer festival and enjoyed the ales on offer from Alehouse, Acorn and Oakham. Looked clean and tidy and the staff were friendly.
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Well, a couple of months down the line, the beers are very good. I think there is a better throughput than at the LRL.
Also the loos have been much improved and the place has been given a good clean. Cheese and ale night on thursdays you get the beer for �2 a pint if you order the cheese.Women's darts on a wednesday, and bands some weekends.
All in all, if you like interesting beers in good condition, this is on the shortlist. Can't comment on the food as I am not there at lunchtimes.
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The old LRL influence is rather strong. Yesterday the beers were actually quite good, but the stench oozing from a room full of sweaty, boozy, middle aged blokes was horrific. I almost longed for the old days of cigarette fumes. There was no sign of any food, but perhaps that was a blessing in disguise. The barman was good and knew his stuff, which was something I suppose.
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If the most recent team from the Lower Red Lion have taken over, then (cough, cough) you're in for a REAL treat. See comments for LRL about quality, cleanliness, surliness ... I can only say I do hope it's not true.
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Lets hope the same standards of quality beer and variety can be maintained by the new team as the previous couple managed to achieve
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Now under new management - the team that used to run the Lower Red Lion in St Albans.
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Great selection of beer but it could do with a damn good clean and a swear-box.
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Friendly staff; good beer. Bizarre decision to cease serving food!
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This placed has really improved under the new tennants, beer is excellent quality with a good variation of product, and they have built up a good atmosphere in the pub. My favourite St. Albans pub at the moment. �2 Real Ale on a Thursday is a nice touch too.
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Beer still very good, but the gents urinal has been blocked for 2 weeks!
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Sorry, that should have read Mighty Oak, not Mauldon's.
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Now my favorite pub in St ALbans. Last night the Mauldon's Taste of Summer and the Elgood's Golden Newt were both outstanding. And only �2 a pint on Thursday night. By the way, they do not have Sky on the TV, so if you want to see the cricket you have to go somewhere else.
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Mauldons Mole Trap, Hanby Rainbow Chaser, Salopian Matrix, Grainstore TenFifty, Adnams Best. Old wood floor, nice studded leather settles, wood tables with cast iron base, wooden stools. Dartboard to rt of bar, opposite wall decorated with old pub & cooperage photos, old pumpclips suggest good rotation policy. Small patio to the rear with 2/3 picnic sets, car park beyond. Two bay windows with upholstered banquettes at the front. Large plasma to left of bar (dk whether they still have sky � was switched off so didn�t catch the cricket score). Sarnies �3/4, burgers �4/5, jumbo mixed grill (incl rump steak & lamb chop!) �8.95. Friendly & polite welcome & service, beers in good condition.Very good traditional pub & great start to the day�s crawl.
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I'm often in St Albans on fridays, and i never fail to visit this little ale house. The beer is top notch and the atmosphere's good too. Hard working, efficient bar staff always freindly and helpful. Keeps on improving.
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Service was quick and friendly and the beer was good. In fact, the mild was very good. It's improved a lot and appears to be getting better all the time. If you had visited this time last year you would notice the difference. It still carries that "smell" but a lot of boozers suffered from that when everybody had to stop smoking. A pub well worth supporting in my view.
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Exterior well kept. Interior is dull and uncared for, plus there was a funny smell when we walked in. Good range of beer, didn't try that many as we didn't stay there too long. Good quick and friendly service eventhough it was a quite busy saturday night.
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With winter approaching, and smokers banished to the car park, there's a real problem at this pub: the bar staff smoke, often work single-handed, and like a ciggie. In consequence, they too retire to the car park, but post the door open so they can see the bar. Result: it's an ice-box.
And the gents toilet is probably the smelliest in St Albans!
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Hmm, not sure about combination of Karaoke and TV rugby that entertained us last night. But never mind, this pub has been improved massively by the new managers.
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As a regular I must say how much this pub has changed since the new management has been installed. It has always been the 'Friendliest Pub in St Albans' but now it has good, affordable food and entertainment. And as always a great range of real ales.
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Popped in last weekend, new management doing great job. A short menu with daily specials, choice of six real ales - the Adnams bitter was great - and an extensive range of Lagers. My Mermaid burger with home made red onion marmalade and stilton was just terrific. Will definitely return soon, very friendly.
anonymous - 30 Sep 2007 15:38 |
It�s amazing what a change in management attitude can achieve. The new gaffers took over a week ago, and already food has been restored and there are six - count �em, SIX - real ales available. Good quality too. No expensive refurbishment, just a more customer-friendly approach and the effect is amazing. I�d given up on the �old� Mermaid as a bad joke, but if the new team can maintain the momentum I�ll definitely make this a regular haunt.
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BITE, PLEASE change the postcode to AL1 3RL.
Popped in yesterday after failing to get served in O'Neills Bar (ex-Peacock). The Mermaid remains as unwelcoming as ever, although they had 3 good real ales on, so that was consolation of sorts. This has always been a pub of fanatical chain-smokers, so the concrete beer garden was full while the pub itself was empty - quite amusing. But unless you get caught in the rain whilst walking up Hatfield Road, don't bother with this place.
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Wouldn't bother with it, small and smokey without having the "cosy" factor. I think it could do with a good clean as well. Closes at 6pm on a Sunday.
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Luca, They haven't served food in his pub for a long time now. I don't know why the sign is outside, it's totally misleading.
I have noticed a general deterioration in this pub over the past year or so. There are fewer beers than before, and some of the staff couldn't give a monkey's. A pity, but there we are.
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The postcode (and therefore the map) for this pub is wrong. It should be AL1 3RL.
Good beer, but although it says "Good food" on the outside, I couldn't get any in the evening.
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this is the pub where I had my first illegal drink as a 15 year old in 1967 - it was half a pint of cider....sadly I am far away from St Albans now...!
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My opinion of this pub's barstaff sky-rocketed yesterday when I witnessed the professional way they dealt with an abusive, aggressive drunkard. But it's a shame they're down to only one real ale - hopefully this is only temporary.
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One of the friendlier pubs in St Albans, and a good mix of customers. Two real ales available (currently Everards Tiger and Buffys Amethyst), and always well maintained. The pub is a bit scruffy and smoky, but it's still worth getting to know. Convenient location. 7/10
anonymous - 2 Mar 2006 08:58 |
Excellent real pub - the only thing I don't like is it gets really smokey - a bit of ventilation would make it so much nicer. Excellent draught Tiger. Live music - good tho' deafeningly loud!
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Always liked this pub although I haven't been for about 18 months now. Thre have always been a couple of appealling guest ales on my visits. Although there's plenty of competition in St.Albans from pubs on the other side of town the Mermaid is more conveniently situated for the football ground in Clarence Park and the train journey back to London. So why such a low rating when none of the people who've actually commented on it have criticised anything?
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Really friendly staff,good beer,proper pub,does footie now as well
anonymous - 31 Aug 2005 14:39 |
Great pub, real ale, real people and great music every second Saturday (free), with regular Wednesday music nights that include floorspots from a variety of styles. Well-kept beer; nice, if compact, "car-park" style garden in the summer, and, I believe, the best gin and tonic in St Albans!
Allan Stewart - 18 Mar 2004 00:56 |
Yep good place, love the low ceilings and atmosphere. Can get very busy and is small
dpiom - 11 Mar 2004 20:24 |
Heard some excellent sax band down there on wednesday. Good beer too (even till midnight!)
Andy - 6 Feb 2004 16:42 |
Not many drinking establishments are open past 11 in St Albans and certainly not ones that have such a wide range of guest ales as the Mermaid.
Open till 12 this pub rotates its 2 guest ales each week and also has 3 regular as well (Greek King IPA and London Pride are the ones I remember).
It has a friendly laid back atmosphere but gets quite busy at the weekends and has live music on a Saturday night. Well worth a visit and at about �2.10 a pint very good value !!!
ben - 6 Nov 2003 10:48 |
