The Crown

The CrownThe Crown
The CrownThe Crown
Bar, Eatery

46 Great Victoria Street
Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT2 7BA
United Kingdom

+44 28 9024 3187 | map
nicholsonspubs.co.uk
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.78
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
10
pDev:
6.61%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by cypressbob:
Photo of cypressbob
Reviewed by cypressbob from Northern Ireland

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 3.5
Whoa, i'm surprised francis got this added, i was never thinking of adding it because it isnt a beer bar really

Anyways, one of my favourite locals, i feel guilty I havent actually added this myself, great atmosphere

An old victorian bar, over 150 years old, fantastic victorian style interior including some nice little booths that have been featured in many a film including the Odd Man

Anyways, 2 or 3 ales on cask at all times, almost always from the local whitewater brewery

They usually have Belfast ale as standard and then a guest ale, alot of the time its crown and glory but at christmas it was sanity claus

A great bar, amazing place to have a pint with some great history
May 01, 2005
More User Ratings:
Photo of johnnnniee
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

3.54/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5
Quite busy on a Sunday night, tried to eat upstairs but they said without a reservation they had no tables. We managed to snag one of the booths and thought we were good to go but they wont serve food to a booth after a certain time on Sunday. We had a round and left for a place to eat. Neat atmosphere albeit quite crowded. Had a couple of beers I hadn't seen anywhere else. Pricey like most of the touristy places.
Sep 07, 2019
Photo of justme
Reviewed by justme from Massachusetts

3.44/5  rDev -9%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3.5
A must see in Belfast. Not for the meal. Had to get pushy to finally get a drink. Well worth it though to be in this relic of a bygone era. When I asked about this place at the hotel I was told it was the most bombed pub in Belfast. No bombing recently...
Nov 02, 2018
 
Rated: 3.44 by mltobin from Connecticut

Oct 02, 2017
Photo of mwckiltedsavage
Rated by mwckiltedsavage from Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Must see when in Belfast. Ornate building inside and out. Opened in the Victorian era. Friendly crowd and great beer. Highly recommend.
Sep 03, 2015
Photo of TX-Badger
Reviewed by TX-Badger from Texas

4.07/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75
This is a nice little establishment with great decor in the heart of Belfast. A limited number of taps, but you'll always find Guinness there along with a few other select brews. Service was great while I was there and I would visit again.
Aug 05, 2015
Photo of BeerDrinkersWorldTour
Reviewed by BeerDrinkersWorldTour from Northern Ireland

4/5  rDev +5.8%
Lets be clear here... You do not go to the crown for a wide beer selection you go for the atmosphere and history. As of 2014 there were 10 beers on tap, 5 of which were cask and only 6 bottles. So the selection is limited.

What the Crown lacks in selection it makes up for in history! Est in the 1820s as the Railway Bar it became the Crown Tavern in the 1840s. The present decoration dates back to the 1880s when the booths were established partly so factory and mill owners could drink without having to mingle with their staff and also to allow ladies to drink without being seen in public a major taboo at the time.

The booths are still operational and tend to fill up quickly so I advice booking one.

There is a lot of Victorian decor in the bar including mosiac work, plaster moldings, original gas lights, intricate paper-machie molding work on the roof and an impressive facade.

The Crown has been lovingly preserved to maintain the sense of history and a drink there is literally like stepping back in time. It is a protected/listed building so it has been recognized as an important historical landmark in the city. The staff are all well versed on the story of the building and are only too willing to tell you about their very special place.
It also serves very good food and is well worth a visit.

Again lets be clear here... I am local and my rating is based on an understanding of what this bar actually IS... not a tourists view of what it should be...
Sep 14, 2014
Photo of Otterburn
Reviewed by Otterburn from Canada (QC)

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
This is a very touristic spot in Belfast.
The decoration is fantastic,inside and the facade is something beautifull too.
Inside, there is a lot of wood everywhere, there is kind of semi-close table so you can get some privatie in this crowed pub. When I went there in november 08, there was some renovations going on, so it break a little bit the vibe of that old and classy pub in Belfast.

Everything's fine here, it is a touristic place, so usually crowded i Guess and the service is fine.

This is a place to see and having a beer if you are in Belfast. The decoration is nice and worth to see this.
Feb 01, 2009
Photo of Andreji
Reviewed by Andreji from Texas

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
I visited this place twice in 2004 but did not add it then, although the place is quite worth the visit, not only for its beer value but the touristic importance it has in Belfast.

the place is a famous saloon with a very central location. On the outside, the three-story high building combines a first floor with an absolute wooden victorian aspect, and above, a white rather colonial looking construction with a big bright "Crown Bar" fresco.
Inside, the bar is quite unusual. the deco is completely in carved and painted wood, esentially divided into separate "cubicles" so for people to sit in absolute privacy, divided by the wood. Actually it's very small, but still pleasant. medium-lit.

The service I found to be not so friendly, starting by the accent and perhaps considering the target clientele is elderly locals, and a couple of cheap-looking backpack tourists are no business.

I remember the selection to be small, but I was glad to see Belfast Ale and other unusual taps, aside from your average Bass, Guinness, etc.

Overall, when in belfast, one must visit this place. It might just not be too charming, but, heck, grab a pint at this historical place.
Jul 22, 2005
Photo of francisweizen
Reviewed by francisweizen from Washington

3.99/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
The crown is a quite famous saloon in Belfast, NI. Located centrally right off of Great Victoria street, it really seems to be the only can't miss pub in the area. Atmosphere is amazing with tons of old wood, nooks and crannies. As well as the wonderful little nooks to sit in the quality of the ales here is also good with locals from Whitewater on cask at all times. All the casks tasted fresh and in good form, and the selection with a few cask ales was good as well. Service was standard UK pub fare, but nice and friendly enough. Highly recommended when in Belfast.
Jan 11, 2005
The Crown in Belfast, GB5, United Kingdom
Place rating: 3.78 out of 5 with 10 ratings