SHAKESPEARE’S HEAD
🍺 Pub Name: The Shakespeare’s Head
📍 Location: Seven Dials, Brighton and Hove
🗓️ Date of Visit: 04/03/2025
🍻 In One Sip: A very quirky LAINE pub just off of Seven Dials with its own resident goldfish, award-winning food and a large-ish beer garden.
🍺 Must-Try: Three words: sausage and mash. Our fave? Has to be a Cumberland sausage with cheese and bacon mash topped with port and thyme gravy. Delicious.
All you need to know about The Shakespeare’s Head
Located a stone’s throw away from the Seven Dials roundabout, The Shakespeare’s Head is the very definition of a hidden gem. Not only is it hidden away from the main epicentres of Brighton but it’s just an absolute gem of a pub.
While it may not be one of the biggest pubs in the city, it’s certainly one of the most memorable.
Once you step foot inside, for instance, your eye won’t know whether to be drawn towards the fake skeleton guarding the board games selection, the resident goldfish on the bar or, if you’re lucky, a passing plate of sausage and mash.
For us personally, we saw the goldfish first. And then, after seeing the huge selection of drinks laid out in front of us, found ourselves uttering the age-old Shakespeare quote: to beer or not to beer, that is the question…
Food and drink at The Shakespeare's Head
Which types of drinks is it good for? 🍺
If you like LAINE beers, you’re going to love it here. Why, I hear you ask? Because it’s a LAINE pub, of course!
Featuring familiar favourites like Mangolicious, Fader, Source, Sonar and co, the pub also serves a whole load of other great beers, including Beavertown Gamma Ray and others of a similar ilk.
They also do a decent range of cocktails and wines. Basically, anything that pairs well with the meaty star of their food menu… 👀
Does it do food? 🍔
Yes, it does! And wow, it is GOOD.
We honestly don't even know where to start. Not only does The Shakespeare's Head (known around the area as 'The Shakies') serve a 'choose your own sausage and mash combo' menu during the week, but they also have award-winning roast dinners available on Sunday.
Oh, and if neither of those things take your fancy, don't worry – there's more. The pub also serves classic pub grub like sandwiches, as well as classic sides like beerkins (beer-battered gherkins) and chips.
It even offers another customisable fish and chips menu where you get to choose your own type of fish and batter. Yes, really.
With more than 560 different meal combinations to enjoy here, each visit is truly as unique as the next – much like Shakespeare’s plays.
Does it do roast dinners? 🍗
The Shakespeare’s Head doesn’t just do roast dinners. It’s the home of roast dinners.
While you may be disappointed to find no sausage and mash on Sundays (boo!), there are a whole host of delicious roasts to choose from instead, including lamb, pork, beef, chicken and multiple veggie options. Oh, and did we mention they’re all award-winning?
Features and amenities at The Shakespeare's Head
Does it have a beer garden? ☀️
Yes, it does – and it’s pretty hard to miss! As you walk into the pub, you should see a large decked area outside the front.
Depending on when you visit, it might be covered in a giant, warming gazebo but there are normally plenty of picnic benches available to choose from.
Our personal favourites are the booths on the right-hand side. Super cosy.
Is it dog friendly? 🐶
Absolutely! In fact, Daisy the Doodle (our personal O2L pub dog) got more attention and treats than we did during our visit.
There were plenty of dog bowls there too. Although, due to the size of the pub and the fact it has wooden floors (Daisy’s nemesis), it’s not quite as dog friendly as other pubs in the area, like the Good Companions.
Does it have any games or activities available? 🎲
As you walk into the pub, you should see a bookcase on your right-hand side guarded by a fake skeleton (or, at least we hope it’s fake). Behind here, around the ribs sort of area, you’ll find a small selection of board games to choose from.
Compared to other board game-focused pubs like The Robin Hood or The Caxton Arms, the range of board games isn’t huge. It’s more a case of quality over quantity, with all the familiar classics you’d want.
They also regularly host live music events, including various karaoke nights, album launches and salsa dancing evenings – the ideal way to burn off all that sausage and mash.
Does it run a pub quiz? 🧐
Nope. Although, we think it’d do very well if it were to have one… just saying.
Does it show live sport? ⚽
Rugby? Yes. Other sports? Not so much.
While the pub shows the big tournaments, like the Six Nations, Euros or World Cup games, it’s not exactly a sports pub where you can watch regular Premier League action.
If you’re in the market for that, we’d suggest taking a nine-minute walk to The New Unity instead, where there are almost as many screens as there are taps to choose from.
How far a walk is it from the nearest train station? 🚂
The Shakies is an approximate eight-minute walk away from Brighton train station.
However, it’s mostly uphill getting there from the station. But you will pass another pub – The West Hill Tavern – at exactly the four-minute, halfway point. Mini pub crawl, anyone?
How would you describe The Shakespeare's Head...?
...to a friend? 🗣️
The Shakespeare’s Head is a very quirky pub just off of Seven Dials.
Offering all the LAINE classics, the pub specialises in sausage and mash and is one of the best in the area (if not the whole of Brighton and Hove) for food. Its roast dinners are also INCREDIBLE and there always seems to be a fun, upbeat vibe whenever we visit.
While the pub itself is quite small inside, it has a large-ish beer garden out the front. It also has its own resident goldfish and a decent selection of board games by the front door (hiding behind what we can only imagine must be a skeleton of Shakespeare himself?).
...as a film? 🍿
10 Things I Hate About You – effortlessly cool, a little quirky and loosely connected to William Shakespeare!
Did you know The Shakespeare’s Head is also one of many pubs available on the PUBBL app? Well, you do now. Discover ten of the best PUBBL pubs to visit in and around Brighton with our handy guide.
