Pen & Wig — Restaurant in Castle

The real risk that you'll not get a drink on a match day is made all the more palpable as you walk through Cardiff away from the train station and you realise that the rain is keeping the clientèle very firmly indoors - queue the, er, queues as more than 50,000 Welsh fans wait patiently to gain entry to get a few in before the gates open. Adding a few thousand Scots into the mix made our drinking establishment of choice today a little risky but nevertheless the best chance we thought of dropping half a gallon of Dublin's finest darkly malted ale whilst hopefully watching Italy beat the enemy prior to grabbing our seats at the stadium for the main event. The Wig is just off the beaten track for townies so you don't trip over it as a non-local but it's in the heart of studentville and a well frequented and respected hostelry. Heaving is an oft over-used phrase but this place was heaving - in the best possible way - and the bar staff were working harder than prisoners in a chain gang. We were served quickly and got a spot in view of the game just in time to observe the real joy and warmth of this place when a Scot (in kilt) posed alongside two Welsh fans for a photo opp. My partner commented on how different the place felt compared to Bristol pubs on a football day. My usual response would have been to be dismissive about the nature of football fans but today I felt differently. We're in Wales I said - we're in Wales. Wales lost against Scotland but I was still in the pub to be honest as we travelled back on the train. Yn sicr yn...

Very rude staff on the 6 Nations Wales v England rugby match this year. We always used to come to the pub with friends to watch games on the TV screens there but the pub has now changed how things work and you have to book a table even just to sit and have a drink. As we hadn't booked we ended up standing all day to watch the games. The manager was carrying glasses and smashed a load of them right next to where I was standing with my drink. I was showered in glass splinters but no apology was offered at all. I then asked politely if I could have another drink as I thought that glass could have gone into it, but I got a blunt and rude response saying I shouldn't have been standing where I was, even though I didn't have much choice due to the table reservation system. The manager did eventually grudgingly replace my drink but only gave me a half and not a pint that I had been drinking which was very poor. Friends also said that some of the other bar staff were very unfriendly. I appreciate it was a busy day but surely priority is for the safety, well being and happiness of customers. The experience has put myself and friends off going...

I visited this marvelous real ale pub in Cardiff on Friday 8th October 2021 This pub is absolutely great in all ways for real ales plenty of them atmosphere interiors and staffing And when in Cardiff you have to visit this pub Monday 11th September 2023 I again had the honour to drink in what is without doubt cardiffs great real ale pub not only does a CAMRA DISCOUNT FOR CAMRA CARD HOLDERS But by what a superb vhoice of many quaint beers the land lord when comes to looking after great beers knows his leeks👍 The pub is a propper british boozer great atmosphere and clientelle Why can't more pubs follow this great real ale pubs examples Ill give this pub 6 stars if could Friday September 2025 Yet again I was fortunate to drink in this thoroughly grand real ale pub a old fashioned manor house styled drinking place with a beautifully looked after drinking area at the rear The pub is a student local as stated before Great staff and the owners must love real ales as there is always 10 hand pulled real ales on here. The real ales are not from big breweries at all and this pub as stated is the very best real ale pub bar none situated in...