Good old authentic pub, the same people go there year after year, month after month, week after week. It still has the bad disco, which is sooo bad it’s good if you know what I mean. it still has all the charm of an old pub, with a bit o chaviness for good measure. If you go there you’ll be guarenteed a laugh x

As a friend said recently, you can’t come to Cardiff without going in the Old Arcade! Catch it on a good day and you’ll have a brilliant laugh in this pub. It caters for all ages and does have an excellent choice of drinks. Catch it on a bad day and you’ll be in and out in the time it takes you to down a pint of dark!
There’s a great enclosed seating area out the back - fantastic if you like a ciggie with your beer - which is quite unexpected for a pub in the heart of the city. Hopefully when you pay it a visit, there won’t be a gang of very loud people from London having a 'sing-off’ with a very loud bunch from Cardiff, which basically involved the girls singing over each other, each trying to prove that THEY had the better voice and the boys fronting up to each other shouting about who’d had the better 'recording experience’. It was hilarious, but I’d have rathered a bit of peace and quiet to listen to the cool 70s disco playing on the jute box!
Don’t let this put you off though - The Old Arcade is a Cardiff institution for some and it’s worth a visit.

You either love it or hate it.

During the day this pub is great, as it serves many fine cask ales and the atmosphere is quite friendly. However at night the DJ (who seems to be stuck in the 80s) comes out with his dated record collection and cheesie lines between the tracks. This royally kills atmosphere of what could be a great little pub.