please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
As others have noted this is a fine and very old building. Apparently, it was almost derelict but was restored and turned into a pub a few decades ago, so as a pub its relatively 'new'.
Its a Sam's place so everything on sale is a Sam's product - fine if you like Sam's stuff, not so good if you don't.
About the first thing I saw when I found my way from the outside to the bar were all the tatty, A4 size, laser printed notes on the walls saying, "no smoking" (fair enough and obvious), "no swearing", "no electronic devices", etc. It seems so po-faced and kill joy.
The atmosphere not helped by it having a very 'locals feel' to it. Not exactly unfriending but not warm and welcoming either; it was mid afternoon - perhaps its better later in the evening.
On my visit in June 2019, I had a pint of OBB - not bad at all. I only stayed for the one though, place wasn't my cup of tea.
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Lovely historic pub selling Samuel Smith brews, nice interior.
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A Sam Smiths pub on the edge of the city centre (just the wrong side of the inner ring road). Although genuinely old, it has apparently only been a pub for about 40 years – though I can certainly remember it from the early 1980s, when I started drinking. It’s a bit of a rambling warren of a place. From the main entrance, you pass directly into the room, with the main bar almost immediately on the left, BUT you have to turn sharp left before it and pass through a passageway to get to another room with a smaller bar. On the right from the entrance you pass down some steps into another smaller open plan area (with toilets hidden behind a corner). In season the main room features a large real fire, but unfortunately there is nowhere to sit to take advantage of the warmth !
As I said, a Sam Smiths pub, so I don’t need to say anything about the beer. Except that on my latest visit, my OBB was far too cold.
Not sure about food. They certainly did it in the 1980s, but I couldn’t see any sign of it on my latest visit.
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Nice friendly good looking pub. Can't rate it above say 7 because it is Sam Smiths (some will like that but it's not really for me the lack of choice of other beers though as said this does have a better range of bottles than most SS pubs).
It's worth a look for one or two though for the building and friendly staff/punters.
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Was actually en route to the Brewery Tap, when myself and my cousin stumbled in here. We were both pleasantly surprised to find it being a Sam Smith's house, as users previously commented.
1000 times better than the other Sam Smith's pub in Chester - The Boot Inn. Lovely bar area with pleasant bar staff and a wider range of SS bottles on offer than I have seen in other outlets. I clocked a bottle of Imperial Stout in the fridge, and their wheat beer and Indian Pale ale on pump.
Place was busy on a Sat mid afternoon. There was a plaque up telling the history of the building but I can't remember what it said now.
Recommended.
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A very attractively restored Samuel Smith's pub and a lovely pint of Extra Stout, YUM, 7/10
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If anyone in your company likes a G&T this is definately not the pup for you. The new (less than a year I think) will not buy a lemon ! I have witnesssed numerous customers leaving the premises because of this.
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Originally a 13th century building, it apparently fell in to disrepair and was renovated by the Samuel Smith�s Brewery among others back in the �70s. They�ve done a good job and this is now a decent pub just on the edge of one of the main shopping areas.
The main bar feels suitably �olde worlde� with a burnt cream colour scheme, polished wood floor, plenty of thick beams on the ceiling, stone support pillars, leaded windows and an old fireplace. The other bar is similar decor and has a bigger fireplace with a massive wooden lintel across it. There is also a carpeted area off of this.
Being a Samuel Smith�s pub, as usual the only cask beer was their own Old Brewery Bitter. The solitary cider was their Cider Reserve. Service was rather slow on a recent busy lunchtime, with just one barmaid trying to serve all the punters at both bars.
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Nice pint of Sam Smith's in here and another unusual and pleasant building. The only pub I've ever been in where someone came round offering us homemade fairy cakes. Bit bizarre but added to the character of the place.
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Nice looking place with very cheap beer. Sam Smiths isn't my favourite, but it's okay, certainly value for money anyway. Last time I went in there was a tramp sat nearby who stank of piss, but assuming this is a rarity, I'd recommend this place for a swift cheap pint.
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Fine building set on a corner and housing a Sam Smith's establishment. There are a number of drinking areas and food seemed to be popular. Old Brewery Bitter was available on handpull. Other than that, they have the usual Sam Smiths range at the usual cheap prices. Certainly one to try if in Chester.
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Visited this place a couple of weeks ago and still enjoyed the experience. The place looked a little run down since I last called in but I was led to understand that the new management team will make a real go of it. All the best to them and I hope to see the Falcon restored to its former glory
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Lovely place, nice pint, friendly locals, recommended.
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A very welcoming pub with plenty of character. The new management team of Alyson and Paul have brought a refreshing atmosphere to the pub wishing you both the best for the future cheers xx
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Welcome to Paul & Ali who are the dynamic new management team at the Falcon. We hope you will give them your full support in their new venture. Best wishes for the future, Mike & Val.
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Found it quite friendly. Sam Smiths is not to my taste but it was pretty well kept and very, very cheap.
Worth a quick pint in!
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Customer service not one of this pub's greatest strengths, but the beer is reasonably priced and well kept.
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When the barmaid asked me for �1.44 for a pint of cask Sam Smith's I assumed for a split second she'd pulled a half by mistake. Well it may not be Chester's best pub, but it must certainly be a contender for the cheapest. And I enjoyed my time in here much more than the snooty Bear & Billet, and equally unwelcoming Pied Bull (I wasn't eating and expected to be with an ASBO as a consequence.) I propped up one of the two basic bars, chatting away to all and sundry as though I'd been using the pub for years. Seems to be popular with market shoppers. Admittedly there's not of options to tempt a non Sam Smith's enthusiast but that aside the next time you visit Chester's centre and fancy an unpretentious, relaxed, low key sup you could do considerably worse than popping in to the Falcon.
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Visited at lunchtime on a Wednesday. Mate and I delighted to find a Samuel Smiths pub. We both had a pint of the Samuel Smiths stout to start with and it was OK and not as good as the same brew sampled elsewhere. I overheard another customer complain about the bitter so for the next round I stuck with the stout while my mate tried the bitter. He wasn't happy and I had a sip and it was sour and, in our view, undrinkable. Barmaid was aked to change it for something else and was clealy not happy and eventually changed it for a stout and charged him the difference! How's that for keeping the customer satisfied? The customer I had overheard earlier who was not happy with the bitter left without finishing his drink by the way. Will we go there again - I doubt it. Other drinkers there were friendly enough though. If you want to drink Samuel Smiths at its best go to the Golden Lion in Frodsham.
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Had a pint of their Sam Smiths Stout for �1.79. Not the best stout I've had but better than Guinness. Cheap and cheerful for a pub slap bang in the centre of Chester city centre.
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A meal and a drink in the upstairs room at lunchtime is the best deal in town. Rock solid Sam Smiths quality at unbelievably low prices. Hubby says Humphrey Smith should be running the country. Nice building pleasant staff. Why go anywhere else?
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Beer not of expected Sam Smiths quality, service not what it was, and although it looks to have been refurbished seems to have lost its character,hardly evn a beer mat to be seen on tables. Hope I'm wrong as this was a good Chester pub.
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It's a lovely old building on a busy road. It is pleasant enough without being remarkable, but worth a visit. The beer was good enough and it was clean and welcoming.
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good pub in chester
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Nice looking pub, staff and management not very freindly, ok beer, overall fair but room for improvement.
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Nice pub good beer,good food,friendly ,nice building,probly one of best pubs around.
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this is one of many wonderfully old buildings in chester.
originally dating back to around 12-1300. latest restoration taking place in 1980.
whilst now modernised, as much as possible of the old building has been retained.
all this plus sam smiths at aroung �1.30.
bargain !
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Samuel Smiths pub I believe recently refurbished as the building is an historic building. Ale cheap �1.32 pint Bitter, �2.14 their premium lager and well kept.
Pub smoky, quite a few regulars obviously chain smoking, nice lady behind the bar asked if we were non-smokers (which we are) and suggested we could go to the upstairs non smoking lounge, which we did and it was immaculate. Parts of the pub are that old you can still see the Wattle & Daub. Beer and History lesson all in one!
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