An archaic, very English little pub which has recently divided customers under new management.

The Venue
Eldon House is hidden away on Lower Clifton Hill, just off Jacobs Wells Road. It has that great feel of a truly local drinking hole, and a smug air about it which suggests a degree of pride about its prime position and isolation from the city centre crowd.

That said, this place would benefit from a few more punters. Word has it many locals have recently deserted the Eldon House and you can understand why.

Under new ownership the cracking live music which was typically Irish/Breton folk has been scrapped and the fresh menu is a little unsatisfying.

Changes are afoot however. They're planning to knock some of Eldon House down and rebuild an extended dining area. Work is due to start in January 2009, so watch this space. And the place is also available for private hire, with catering included.

The People
Once inside, you really wouldn’t notice this place was short of locals. Indeed, despite numbers being few on the ground, everyone at Eldon House seems like they’ve been living here half their life.

The odd bunch of good ol’ well-spoken boys straight from the heart of Clifton liven the place up slightly, but unfortunately there’s a dry and even rather desperate mood, which negatively influences the hospitable feel of what is essentially a quaint and alluring building.

Although the live music has gone there are a series of events throughout the week including a quiz night and a poker evening.

The Food
The Sunday lunch remains a major attraction for Eldon House but unfortunately it's not the best around. It's still worth a go though and at £7.95 you do get excellent beef and seven types of veg to leave you content.

They also do an all day breakfast on a Saturday for £5, which is a full English with all the trimmings. And there's a very reasonable deal of a coffee and homemade carrot cake for £2.95.

Still, the menu has been slashed since the takeover and sadly brought in line with standard pub food (chiefly bland burgers, chips, etc). So there's fish and chips for £5.95, sausage and mash for £5.95, ham, egg and chips for £5.50 and homemade burgers for £5.95.

The saving grace is its daily specials which offer a little more originality and taste. Pumpkin soup and egg and bacon quiche are both regular choices and have a wonderful homemade taste. However, prices remain rather dear and the servings are not especially generous.

The Drink
The wine is pretty standard stuff, with both red and wine bottles starting at £11.50, although inevitably an extra few quid will get you a far superior drink. The selection of lagers and ales are decent, with the lovely organic lager being a particular favourite among the locals.

The Gem beer here is also excellent, always tasting fresh, and chilled just enough to refresh you while allowing you to indulge in all the different flavours which have made this ale so popular in the West Country. It's £2.50 a pint while the guest ale is £2.60, Barnstormer is £2.80, Guinness is £3.10 and lagers go from £2.90 to £3.10. Ciders are around £2.80.

The Last Word
Once Eldon House finds its feet it will surely once again be an admired and convivial establishment. However, a revival of the live music would appease a few old devotees and ease a bit more atmosphere into the place.

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