Ye Olde Custom House Inn, Chesterback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Bit of a strange place this. From the street it looks like two completely buildings, one brick, the other half-timbered. And the illusion continues when you enter, because there is no sign that there is another entrance in each of the small rooms they lead into. To get from one to the other you have to go round the back where there is another (larger) room and bar linking the other two together.
I’m afraid that is about the most interesting feature of the place. The beer available is straight blah Marstons – and not even the most interesting ones of their. Each room has a separate bar, so it’s difficult to count up, but I think there were 5 different beers in total. On my last visit I had the Ringwood Boondoggle – which was WAY too cold.
Food is served, but I didn’t see a menu, so can’t tell you anything more about it. Also, it’s the kind of place that shows big sporting events on TVs, though they aren’t as intrusive as some other places.
Anyone who goes here rather than the many other great pubs in Chester needs their head examined !
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Called in one afternoon and had a pint of Boon Doggle (Ringwood Brewery) 4.2%. Good layout of pub with central bar area meaning plenty of places to sit. Cost was around £3.85 which I guess is to be expected in the centre of Chester. Pleasant atmosphere, pleasant pint. Would visit again.
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Wasn't impressed with this place. Only Jennings ale available yesterday which was poor considering Chester Races brought large numbers of customers to the pub. The building itself is interesting though.
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A marston's pub I do believe,the Jennings-"Cocker Hoop" was of good nick, 7/10
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7th pub of the night - split opinions on this one- real ale available and 6 pints cost �18.80. IMO - soulless place with good seats though. In my companions opinion - couples pub...lets get married...! :(
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We stopped in for a quick pint. It has a mix of chairs and tables and those brown sofas that were popular in pubs of the 1990s. The food seemed popular, the standard pub meals. The pub was fine and I would have no problem going back if I was passing by.
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This is a pub I frequently visit when on a day out in Chester. Good atmosphere, freindly staff and an excellent menu as well. Beers on offer when i visited on Thursady included Jenning's Cocker Hoop & Cumberland Ale, and Marston's Ploughman's Ale. and Pedigree. I enjoyed 2 pints of Cocker Hoop and hoped to have a third but it ran out, so I had a pint of Pedigree instead. Overall, an excellent pub to visit when out and about in Chester city centre.
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- first impression
this attractive old pub, dating back to the 17th century, was originally called The Star, but was later renamed as the old custom house, as it stands opposite the custom house on watergate.
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outside, it has the typical black timbered tudor style of many buildings in Chester. there are two front entrances. one into the bar and the other into another room that is now used for dining and private hire.
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inside, stone steps lead up into a timber-floored, low beam ceilinged room. There is a mix of couch and table seating, two open fires, and authentic leaded windows with a view out on to watergate.
there is a central bar, serving the two front rooms of the original building, along with a large extension for diners. Seating for around 100. This eventually leads out into a tabled outdoor area.
***
there is an extensive menu, along with their daily steak & chips offer at �3.99. We found the steaks we had were good and thick, expertly cooked, and well worth the price.
3 cask ales were on offer. marstons pedigree, jennings cumberland ale, banks winter ale [guest]. The winter ale was exceptionally good, and a fairly reasonable �2.60.
***
- verdict
the character of the building has been well preserved, and the food and ale exceptional. I would be extremely please to have this as my local.
a well-deserved 9 from me.
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