Just seemed too busy and slightly not the right atmosphere when we went in on a Saturday night.
But then I'd discovered the Belvedere and the Grapes on previous days by then. And they're both a different kettle of fish but still with real ale.This is now my fav pub anywhere in the UK. Great selection, prices and nice selection of fast food. F**k me if that is muso legend Lee Mavers over at the bar, that guy ower theres is the half man half biscuit - f**king great !!! Anyway this is why i love this pub and could quite possibly migrate to the Pool. In here yesterday (Sunday) evening. It was very quiet and getting served was easy this time. As usual, there was an excellent selection of ales - Brimstage Sandpiper, Facers Hoppy Dobby, Heavy Industry Electric Mountain, Tickety Brew Ginger & Stout, Grey Hawk Nirvana Pale, Salamander Golden Salamander, Frodsham Iron Man, Marble Lagonda, Shiny Tomahawk, Cheshire Brew Bros. Roodee Dark & Cross Bay Winter Moon Porter. Ciders were Rosies Triple D & Wicked Wasp. They also had Gwynt y Ddraig Two Trees Perry. Still a really good pub. Should be on every ale fans itinerary when in Liverpool.

Another visit to my favourite pub in Liverpool and I wasn't disappointed. To my delight, they still had the plum porter on by Titanic Brewery, which was absolutely divine!

Finally met the landlord and found he was a pleasant, easy going chap. Don't know what all the negative comments are about?

A must do whenever in Liverpool.

An Impromptu stop here on the way back into town. It’s just before 5pm on a Friday and it is already packed and feels like a proper drinkers pub (that’s not a bad thing at all).

Etched glass mirrors cover the walls, stain glass windows and tiles by the doorway which displays the Grapes name as does a sign in gold lettering above the bar. There are 6 cask ales and 4 keg choices. I went cask and had a pint of Fernendes Cascade Torrent @ 4.6%.

Lots of old brewery and advertising signs dotted around the pub give the place a real locals feel and for some reason it just doesn’t seem like you’re almost in the centre of a very large City.

Another cracker of a pub and this one was the wife’s favourite during our Liverpool trip. 9/10, boy are Liverpool pubs good.
This place certainly arouses the angry brigade, going by some previous postings. I found a very attractive & efficient bar lady & a very attractive & tasty pint of Titanic First Class (3.00). Being early afternoon & mid week there weren't many in but all was peace & goodwill.

Small street corner bar, sporting several hand pumps and a bustling, sociable atmosphere. It's main clientele seemed to be connected to the college next door, but this was not intimidating as can happen with similarly placed hostelries. My only gripe would be that my Oceanic Steam beer was the most innocuous at 4.5% which put paid to anything like a prolonged session. The bar staff were commendably attentive though. 7/10.The Grapes has increased its real ale range within the last year. I've also seen a real cider stocked sometimes. Yesterday, they had Brimstage Oyster Catcher, Oceanic Steam Pier 59, Peerless Full Whack, Liverpool Craft Damson & Oatmeal Stout, Melwood Liberty, Tetleys Gold & Waen 54-46. Service is generally friendly and Thai food is still advertised. I've never seen anybody order it though. Much improved.First visit for a couple of years. The customers were a mix of office staff, students and hippy/punk types. A good selection of ales. There was a strong smell of skunk coming from the smoking area behind the pub when I went to the toilets. A lady was cooking Thai food in a tiny kitchen and regularly bringing it out to customers. The two barmen were pleasant and helpful. I forgotten about the narrow bar area and having to continually move out of the way of people. Not a pub I could spend all night in but well worth a visit.

I finally made my first visit to the West Kirby Tap on Tuesday evening. With the Abbey a few doors up, the Dee Hotel and the White Lion, it makes West Kirby far more appealing. The interior has a large roof with a few leaks, as we soon found out. Ales were Potbelly SOS, Peerless Oatmeal Stout, Milestone Lock, Prop & Barrel, Spitting Feathers Thirst Quencher & Session Beer, Front Row 99 & Bowland Gold. They also had Westons Old Rosie with Rhubarb. Without a doubt one of the best 4 or 5 pubs on the Wirral right now.A visit last Saturday. Marvellous ales and a pub full of happy punters. Music courtesy of the excellent Harry Smethurst. One of Wirral's top half dozen pubs. An excellent addition to West Kirby's real ale scene in the town centre 50 yards from the station. Owned by the Spitting Feathers Brewery from just outside Chester as you might expect it offers all their ales plus a few guests. A nice touch was a small kilner jar of ale in front of each pump to show the colour of each ale. A few small booths, high tables plus couches give the place a casual feel. A few tables outside on the pavement for smokers. Often has a solo singer or duo performing from a raised floor area on a Saturday night. Well worth a visit.

Modern bar on the main drag through West Kirby. It was quiet with just 2 or 3 other people there on our damp Tuesday evening visit. Commodity Brewing Company Tail Whip, Liverpool Organic Cascade, Purple Moose Calon Lan, Thwaites Wainwright & Peerless Red Willow were the ales. Old Rosie was the cider. I preferred the West Kirby Tap. But this is not a bad pub/bar in its own right.Went in last week and was treated to the best pint of Brains' Reverend James I think I've ever had. The Abbey has been awarded Autumn Pub-of-the-Season by Wirral CAMRA. The most recent addition to West Kirby's drinking scene. Formerly known as Rock Lobster. Five or six ales available and the barman was happy to give me a taster of a couple to help me decide which one I'd buy. A good range of ale types and a good range of age groups amongst the punters. Well worth a visit.

quality addition to the local beer scene. excellent beers at a fair price and kept in tip-top condition. A real buzz of an atmosphere at busier times.Billed as a 'micropub' but would say it's really another shop conversion bar. Decent enough ale but can't really see what all the fuss is about.After a visit to the Smugglers Cove in the Albert Dock (not listed on here), I made the train journey north to Merseyside's first micropub. This is only the second micropub I have been to and it's much larger than Anchored in Worthing. There are plenty of tables and seating that are well spaced and there is also a bar where 5 ales and 2 ciders are dispensed. Ales were Brimstage Trappers Hat & Scarecrow, Marble Antipodean & Pint & Oakham Bishop's Farewell. The ciders were Sandford Orchards Devon Scrumpy & Abrahalls Still Dry. This was my favourite pub of the day. The interior, with its green walls feels fairly warm. As usual with micropubs, this is a converted shop in a small parade of shops on a side street. It's one of those places that unless you live locally, you would never pass. So it will rely on its reputation. My favourite pub of the day and easily Crosby's best pub.