Crwys

Having been asked to look at my review, because the pub was under new management, I finally got up to the Crwys last night.
The décor has been updated into a hipper style, but with a better selection of real ales on tap. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the beers on tap.
There was a quiz going on, which was irritating, because the quiz master seemed to just have downloaded a set of questions from the internet and didn’t actually know what some of the questions were about.
It was doubly irritating because it was up against the football, which meant that those of us who were there for a drink and chat with friends were battling with the background noise.
Overall, a 3, with potential for being a 4. A good local, mixing students and locals well.

Ahh, the Crwys. It’s one of those rare pubs that manage to serve the local dingy clientele that have always patronised it whilst also maintaining a healthy student customer base, which means that not only is the pub loud and energetic, but you’re liable to get stabbed too! No doubt in all the excited confusion, your wounds will go unnoticed until it’s too late! How fun!
I kid. The Crwys is actually quite a lovely pub. It does have that dichotomy between the local regulars who have been there for years, and the yearly fresh batch of students that get dumped on the doorstep and left to find their own way. Happily though, the regulars are generally of the quiet old man type, and the students treat the pub as a «let’s go for a quiet drink to recover from last night’s drinking» kind of place, rather than a party pub meaning it remains a relatively quiet affair.
It’s for this reason that it’s one of my favourite pubs. There aren’t many places in Cardiff where you can get a seat on a match day, but the Crwys somehow manages it.

A rather large pub, the Crwys Pub is situated on Crwys road (the clue was in the title there wasn’t it) it has a large room at the front of the building where the main bar is and also a back room, where you can watch the footie in a bit of peace. It is your standard old man stylee decorated establishment with a selection of brown shades adorning the walls and floor.
The food is quite cheap with some meals as cheap as £3. I ate out here with my friends once and the pub landlord did his best to please us, he was very considerate and really friendly, making you feel like you were a valued customer.
This is a nice place to eat and drink cheaply, being a brains pub, you know you will get good food for a good price, but nothing overly special. A classic locals pub with the odd student for that perfect mix.

The Cryws if definitely a pub like the George, Woodville and Flora (which are of course all in close proximity to each other) that at some point needs to be part of a pub crawl. What struck me when I walked in is that from the outside it looks quite small but I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in how spacious it really is.
My friends and I were greeted warmly by the landlord who immediately then began to regale us with tales of ‘who had been in his pub’ and he politely pointed us the direction of the toilets and the smoking area. I was also very happy with the different kinds of SA they sold, which any true Welshman knows is the drink of kings (including SA black stout).
The smoking was also well lit and fairly large considering and if memory serves it was heated. There are a decent amount of TV screens as well so sports fans should feel right at home when there is a big game on.
Price wise it was about the same as most of the pubs in the area (just under £3for a pint). For the most part I really enjoyed my time in there and love the humble décor of a true British pub.

I have been here so many times, it’s a great venue to watch sports, go with groups and the real ales are something to try. Being a Brains Pub means the Brains is on tap. Interiors have a classic pub décor nothing to exciting, the seating is comfortable and I’ve never had any problems in this pub.
The toilets are fine don’t but cannot compete with Weatherspoons. Pool table and darts are there for those who want a challenge. If you live in the area is more relaxed than the Royal George. The customers are a mixture of students during matches and local regulars. If your looking for a more student atmosphere go down the road to the George.

The Crwys is a popular local pub that sits on the edge of Cathays and Roath, and gets particularly heaving when there’s a rugby match on (with plenty of big screen TVs). it also attracts quite a few on their regular quiz nights, and you see quite a few diners in there, too.
It’s divided into different areas, one of which is raised a bit and more geared towards people who are eating. Most of the customers seem to be mainly local residents and a few groups of students.
To find it, walk to the crossroads between Woodville Road and Crwys Road and it’s on one of the corners. In fact ‘Crwys’ actually means ‘cross’ or ‘crucifix’ in Welsh, and its position on the crossroads could well explains the pub’s name — although of course the road itself also has the same Crwys name, so perhaps there’s something else behind the meaning. This pub does a ‘Famous Five’ menu for £3.85 from Monday to Friday, but I’ve yet to find out exactly what this involves. Hopefully some other Cathays or Roathside Unilocalers will enlighten us!

Spent about 2 years practically living in here, but it got old quick. The then landlady/​manager was lovely — never seemed to be the same after she left.
I returned there a few months ago for old time’s sake — nothing had changed, but I quite enjoyed it.

I think the best time to visit this pub is when there are rugby matches on. It stays busy a lot of the time but during matches is when it really comes into its own. It gets absolutely chock-​a-​block, but full of friendly people who all just want to have a good time, and a few drinks with the rugby.
Other than during these days, there is plenty to keep you going. A skittle alley, a pool table, darts, sky sports on the television, karaōke… what else could you really want?
AGAIN, it’s a Brains pub. The bar staff are really friendly and there’s a pretty good community spirit which comes from the mingling of locals and students.
They do also serve food, though I have never eaten here.

The Crwys is my local and I’m really rather fond of it! It’s a really busy and popular local pub — extremely packed when there is rugby on.
Décor is pretty typical for this type of pub, patterned carpets, dark red walls and lots of typical pub seating. There is a great beer garden out the back with a covered and heated section as well as an open air area with lots of big wooden tables. It’s a real sun trap in the summer and is perfect for an after work drink or two.
Food is usual Brain’s pub fare — prices are reasonable and portions big. Drinks are also reasonably priced and you can get all the usual lager and ales you would expect in a SA Brains pub.
There is a fantastic pub quiz on Tuesdays — it’s a cross betwen a quiz and bingo with the randomn calling out of answers meaning you don’t have to know all the answers to win!
Generally though, this does exactly what a local pub should. The staff are friendly, the regulars are tame and there are enough students and young locals to mean that the atmosphere is lively but not as full on as some of the student haunts in the area.