
Quick info
About The Beehive
The Beehive is a pub in St Albans, at 2 Keyfield Terrace, that puts ramen on its menu alongside album-cover decor. The kitchen makes a pork tonkotsu with spicy broth and a ramen Scotch egg for starters, and burgers and fries sit on the same food menu. At the bar, ales and beer are on tap, and there is a gin selection. Lots of TVs show sports such as rugby and football, and board games are available for groups. Tables can be booked through the website, and the kitchen prioritises orders from booked tables. Dogs are welcome.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
- ParkingPaid parking lot · Parking
Advertisements
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention ramen, board games, gin selection and beer garden.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention ramen, board games, gin selection and beer garden.
Customer Review Summary
Ramen is the main draw, with one diner praising the pork tonkotsu in spicy broth as rich and velvety and another singling out the ramen Scotch egg and its runny yolk. Others call the ramen excellent and the highlight of the pub, paired with a beer selection, gin and cider they enjoyed. Staff are repeatedly described as friendly and lovely. Close behind are the lively, relaxed atmosphere, loads of board games and a nice beer garden. The ramen is not universal: one found the Miso Spicy not hot, with tough noodles and little pork, and the cauliflower wings left another diner wanting more crunch. The biggest complaint is slow food from the kitchen. One group said burgers came well after the promised time, with booked tables served first, and called them the worst they had eaten. Another waited on chicken strips and fries because delivery orders took priority. One diner raised the burger problem with a waitress and said nothing changed.
Customer Review Summary
Ramen is the main draw, with one diner praising the pork tonkotsu in spicy broth as rich and velvety and another singling out the ramen Scotch egg and its runny yolk. Others call the ramen excellent and the highlight of the pub, paired with a beer selection, gin and cider they enjoyed. Staff are repeatedly described as friendly and lovely. Close behind are the lively, relaxed atmosphere, loads of board games and a nice beer garden. The ramen is not universal: one found the Miso Spicy not hot, with tough noodles and little pork, and the cauliflower wings left another diner wanting more crunch. The biggest complaint is slow food from the kitchen. One group said burgers came well after the promised time, with booked tables served first, and called them the worst they had eaten. Another waited on chicken strips and fries because delivery orders took priority. One diner raised the burger problem with a waitress and said nothing changed.
Featured reviews
- Sally Sutton
“Great stop off point after being a tourist guide for my Danish friend. It's a nicely tucked away pub that is very friendly, clean and the music is on a reasonable level of sound. Good range of drinks, snacks, family/friends games to be had here. There's a choice of gin here if you like gin. Watch out for the big step when going to the toilet.”
- Nimrit Rajasansi
“Came to watch the six nations for the whole day. We asked to reserve a table but told they weren't taking bookings, but when we got there we saw multiple tables already reserved, so not sure why they said that? Once there we ordered the ramen, and was not great, noodles were tough and pork was limited. Got the Miso Spicy...but should be renamed MiNo Spicy...definitely could have been a lot hotter as it was marketed as the hottest one on the menu. Wouldn't go back for the ramen unfortunately. Atmosphere was great for the rugby, until they decided to show football at same time and was so crowded...could barely see the TV for rugby. They should probably plan these sports better so football is in one area and rugby another! But still fun atmosphere”
- Alex Williamson
“Great little pub with a bonus of doing food. We had good service and the staff were kind and fast. The kitchen at the back was busy but the food came within a reasonable time. I'd advise booking a table via their website and they can reserve it for you, we got the last one.”
- Jacob Rance
“Tucked away on a cosy side street in the heart of St Albans, The Beehive is a hidden gem serving up soul-warming ramen and a tempting selection of starters. The pork tonkotsu with spicy broth was delicious riich, velvety, and so unbelievably moreish that I could have happily bathed in it. Every spoonful was pure comfort. The ramen Scotch egg was an unexpected delight, with its crisp exterior giving way to a perfectly runny yolk. The cauliflower wings, while bursting with bold flavours, didn’t quite hit the spot for me, as I was craving something crispier and more indulgent. But that’s more about my expectations than the dish itself. Overall, the food was fantastic, and I’ll be back in a heartbeat when the next ramen craving hits!”
- Viktoriia Shcherbakova
“We recently visited this pub, and while the atmosphere was lively and inviting, and the staff were incredibly friendly, our experience was let down by the slow service from the kitchen. We ordered chicken strips and fries, expecting a quick bite, but ended up waiting 36 minutes—all because they were prioritising delivery orders. It was quite disappointing to hear that explanation, especially as we had initially considered ramen but chose chicken strips and fries for their shorter preparation time. In the end, it is just 3 pieces of chicken! I was tempted to rate the pub 2 stars, but thanks to the lovely staff and enjoyable atmosphere, I’m giving 3 stars overall. We’ll consider giving it another try in the future, hoping for better service from the kitchen.”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Highlights
“Burgers, pies & cocktails served in a relaxed British pub with album-cover decor & a quaint garden.”
- Bar games
- Great beer selection
- Great wine list
- Live music
- Live performances
- Sports
Amenities
- Wi-Fi
- Paid parking lot
- Accepts reservations
- Outdoor seating
- Dogs allowed
- Dine-in
Show more amenities
- Food at bar
- Cozy
- Beer
- Food
- Free water refills
- Live music
- Highlights· 5
- Bar games
- Great beer selection
- Great wine list
- Live performances
- Sports
- Parking· 1
- Parking
- Offerings· 4
- Alcohol
- Cocktails
- Hard liquor
- Wine
- Facilities· 1
- Restroom
- Dining options· 1
- Seating
- Popular for· 1
- Solo dining
- Atmosphere· 2
- Casual
- Trendy
- Crowd· 1
- Groups
Location
Bars near The Beehive
- Waterend Barn4.13,8440.2 miWheelchair accessible
tudor-style historic building, wooden beams and chandeliers, low-priced draft beer
- The Green Dragon4.46462.8 miWheelchair accessible
curry dishes, spicy shrimp, sunday roast
- The White Horse4.37663.9 mi£10–50ReservationsWheelchair accessibleOutdoor seating
outdoor seating, slow food waits, beef pie
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The BeehiveReservations · Outdoor seating · Wi-Fi | 4.3718 | — | £10–50 | ramen, board games, gin selection |
| Waterend BarnWheelchair accessible | 4.13,844 | 0.2 mi | — | tudor-style historic building, wooden beams and chandeliers, low-priced draft beer |
| The Green DragonWheelchair accessible | 4.4646 | 2.8 mi | — | curry dishes, spicy shrimp, sunday roast |
| The White HorseReservations · Wheelchair accessible · Outdoor seating | 4.3766 | 3.9 mi | £10–50 | outdoor seating, slow food waits, beef pie |
The 3 nearest bars by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
Similar Bars nearby
4.1 miQueens Head
4.2 miHarpsfield Hall
4.3 miThe Cavendish Arms
4.6 miThe Harpenden Arms, Harpenden
5.5 miThe Dome Bar
5.7 miTudor Arms
5.7 miOddfellows Arms
6.1 miMarchmont Arms Piccotts End
More to explore in St Albans
Places in St Albans
See all places in St Albans