Photo via Google, Old ArcadeThe Old Arcade
- Hours
- Today: 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Why it’s in the log
The Old Arcade opened in 1844 next to one of Cardiff's first covered shopping arcades, built to connect Church Street to the new market. It traded under other names for decades before settling on "Old Arcade" around 1900, and the interior now mixes early-20th-century fittings up front with genuine late-Victorian ones further back.
It's a proper rugby pub — shirts, photos and programmes cover most of the wall space, and it fills fast on match days, when a round of sherry on the house is as much a tradition as the singing. Any other afternoon, it's just a solid, unpretentious Welsh pub doing a proper rarebit and a full cask-ale line-up a couple of minutes from the castle.
Go early on a Six Nations Saturday if you want a seat, or any weekday evening if you just want the pub without the occasion.
What people said recently
From Google reviews · see all 1,681 ↗
“I remember when this used to be a great pub to watch rugby but it has gone severely downhill now. I went last Saturday to watch the Argentina v England rugby match and although it was on the TV the music from the other part was so loud…”
“Visited here with a person I support. Slightly busy and difficult to manoeuvre with an electric wheelchair but all the public we're great and kindly give way. The staff were very patient and friendly with us and the food was well presented…”
“Lovely classic pub in the heart of Cardiff. Molly was so lovely and attentive, will defo be back. Nice pint of Dark, nice to see it on draft”
