Mr Smith’s

Last time I went to Mr Smith’s they were serving two cocktails for £6 and my table was covered in Martini glasses. It’s a nice mixture of artsy and retro without trying to be pretentious or aloof.
This is the kind of place you can have an unexpectedly brilliant time with your friends because people just relax and enjoy themselves. Whereas in the centre of town there can be a sense of competitiveness, there seems to be no point at Mr Smith’s. People want to lounge around and sip a cocktail before maybe heading into town later.
In the daytime it’s a place you can sit back and sip a cold beer while flicking through you well thumbed Dylan Thomas.
The kitchen is always turning out delicious looking dishes, which you will, no doubt, be inclined to order after enough doses of Margarita.
There is an outside seating area if you wish to see the delights of Woodville road, but it’s best to stick indoors. Why get up?

You’d be excused for thinking that, owing to the location, Mr Smith’s is just another student den in the middle of Cathay’s, but you would be wrong. Yeah, for sure, students come here, but so do a lot of the artsy crowd as well as the Cardiff Intelligentsia. This makes it pretty hip.
Serving good food during the day and offering a laid-​back haven to ensconce yourself with a book or meet with friends to indulge in a marathon catch-​up, amid a delightful back-​drop with a cool calm air about it, it would be easy to make this place your second home. (There’s a distinct absence of pressure for you to sling your hook before your latte has had chance to go cold, and although they would prefer you to keep on consuming their goodies, you are under no duress to do so…)
Nighttime sees the place transform into a micro club, with dirty drum n bass testing the solidity of the foundations on reasonably regular occasions. Well worth the effort!

With Buddha lounge just being a faint memory, this bar has changed for the better. Part of the same group as Buffalos and 10 feet tall, this venue has attempted to be as quirky as its group members.
There is the option to sit outside which is always a bonus if we actually do get a sunny day. The prices are not too bad, not really what you’d be expecting of a bar with such a boutique feel. When I was here, I decided to try one of their muffins, it wasn’t anything to write home about, but nice to have the option to have something cake based with your alcohol. I had breakfast in here once and it was pretty good, slightly on the expensive side, but suited to the venue.
This bar has however, just been refurbished over the Summer and done away with the outrageous bouts of quirky, but still in the same vein. It will reopen mid September.

This coffee house and bar is in a great spot in the heart of Cathays, offers free Wi-​Fi, and is open from early until late every day of the week (8am ’til midnight, in fact).
During the day it’s the laid back kind of place where you don’t feel bad about hanging around for a while, reading a book, chatting, or working on your laptop — even if you’re only having coffee or a shake.
In the evening, things liven up a bit with cocktails served and DJs spinning records — from Latin-​Cuban themed nights to party mixes, drum ‘n’ bas, disco and hip hop. Get there early to enjoy happy hour cocktails until 9 — after that the drinks prices are not cheap by Cathays standards.
While your’re there, check out the bar, which has been clad with old VHS video tapes!

Mr Smith’s (really just called Smiths by local students) is the kind of bar that I hear people complaining about as they peer through the windows. They suggest that it is merely style over substance, pretending to cater for an alternative crowd whilst, in reality, it is part of a chain.
Well, yes, this is true. It is part of a chain; but it’s nothing compared to the huge stonking manacles of Oceanas/​Revolutions/​TigerTigers.
In fact, Smith’s offers a wonderful individual mix of the contemporary and the kitsch. The sofas and chairs clash brilliantly; the walls are covered in paintings, photographs, books.
I went with a large group of friends and we were greeted by an extremely friendly barman. The bar itself — I have noticed on a subsequent visit — is made of old VHS tapes; very cool! We indulged in the 2-​for-​1 cocktails (only served until 9, so get in there early) before trying to find a seat. That is one of the problems with this bar — it is deceptively large, offering much more seating than it first seems. However, the tables are all small, with space for only a few people.
We managed to squeeze around the largest table, getting in the way of many people in the process. Not that there was a single hint of a problem. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed.
We spent a few hours there before moving on. It was an expensive night because the drinks aren’t particularly cheap (and we are all stundents!) but it was worth it for the games-​machine-​cum-​table, which provided much amusement. It was good also to have something to focus on because the noise levels gradually increased till we couldn’t hear each other.
Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend this bar. It’s a great alternative to the more obvious Gassy Jacks and Koko Gorillaz. Yes, it’s a little expensive. Yes, it’s a little small in places. Yes, it gets a bit loud. But it is so definitely worth it!
P. S. I’ve added so many photos because of the very nature of this bar. It’s both a bar and a restaurant so I wanted to show both sides of this.

The décor in Mr Smith’s is a mix of cool and retro (there are videotape boxes everywhere and at least one of the tables doubles as a playable arcade machine), the tables and chairs are comfortable enough and the drinks aren’t very expensive. There’s normally a fair few people here in the evenings but it doesn’t seem to get massively busy, and there’s always room on the picnic tables outside if you’re feeling a bit close and want some air.
Their menu is good as well and does some things that are a bit different, for example I’m sure I remember them doing porridge on their breakfast menu, and something that sounded like a breakfast burrito. I’ve not had this myself but I’m intrigued nonetheless. I have had their burgers though so I know these are good, but I went there with my housemates once on the promise (I forget who from) that there would be yummy cakes there and there weren’t, which was a bit upsetting but we soon got over it with some alcohol instead. We may have just been a bit late that time, but I’m sure there was an issue another time as to whether or not they did puddings and I don’t think we got any that time either. Willing to give them the benefit of the doubt though.
The thing that puts me off about Mr Smith’s is that I’m not really sure where it fits in. It’s definitely got individuality but it’s not somewhere that I’d choose to go if I just wanted to meet some friends in the pub. It’s almost like there’s too much of a faff about the whole thing, like the place is so cool it forgets to be relaxed. It’s also not as big as some other places so on some nights you may have trouble getting in let alone finding a seat. I personally am more at home in somewhere like Gassy Jacks or the Woodville. This isn’t to say that I don’t see the appeal of Mr Smith’s. I have gone there a few times and I’ve had a good time, it’s just not at the top of my list of places to go.