Fire Island

No Longer In Business

Good bottle selection, as with City Arms over the road, but the beer on tap can be disappointing. Along with the various craft ales there are banks of Stella and the like. Great for business perhaps, but bad for rotation. Not sure how clean the pipes are kept either. Food is nice, but the kitchen isn’t always open. In short: Some iffy pints; stick to bottles. Go to City Arms for better draft. Go to Zero Degrees for better food. Still a beacon in a city dominated by the bland Brains brews.

This place looks appealing for those seeking out an atypical bar experience in Cardiff. Much more striving to be an American style bar than a pub it has a very modern feel.

It may have been when I visited but note that the upper lounge is not always open. I’m not sure if the taps there are different but downstairs was a good selection of regional and "safe" macros for the hip crowd. Among the notable options are a series of Tiny Rebel drafts including one brewed especially for Fire Island.

Food here looked good based on the orders heading to people’s tables but I did not order anything myself. It is supposed to be American style BBQ. If you set your expectations accordingly (ie not being in the South) it might be acceptable. If for some reason it isn’t a proper pub is right across the street.

Opposite the City Arms, this new bar has 18 hand pumps and specialises in modern British Ales. Tiny Rebel house beer (Beat Box APA) and around 8-10 others from the likes of Dark Star, Oakham, Kernel, etc. Food is all barbecue. Bottles come mostly from America.