Traders Tavern

The best music selection I have ever heard in a pub as favourite followed awesome song I had forgotten about followed interesting song I wasn’t familiar with. I took note to remind myself to look up tracks afterward. That’s how good it was. Music is very much what this place is about because you could spend the time it takes to finish a pint perusing all the posters on the wall for various artists and gigs over the years!
The beer was decent — just Rhymney Bitter by way of ales. I swear it tasted better because of the music.
Shame the pub was only a quarter full on a Friday night. I heartily recommend coming here any night of the week!

friendly small pub with a good selection of good food at a reasonable price

The Trader’s Tavern is quite an odd pub.
Situated right next door to the CIA, the interior is decorated with hundreds of posters and fliers from previous concerts held in the nearby arena, with countless bands, solo singers and comedians gracing the walls. This is an unusual feature and a unique novelty that’s a frequent talking point amongst visitors.
This place strikes me as a pub that tries its best to be appeal to the masses, but with the rapid modernisation of this particular area of Cardiff following the St David’s 2 renovation, the Trader’s Arms is left looking a bit behind the times and dated. Its old school décor, musky pub smell and stained glass windows make it seem decidedly more old-​fashioned than its surrounding neighbours.
However, despite this minor turn off, the location of this pub makes it a great place to get a pre-​gig pint if you’re lucky enough to have tickets for an event in the CIA.

What with the Traders Tavern being located opposite the job centre at the bottom of Charles Street, the cheap plastic patio furniture out front and the confusing two door entry option, I wouldn’t blame you if the alarm bells are ringing.
Yet inside you’ll find a proper backstreet boozer, that’s rough and ready but not without its charms. There are the stained glass windows that filter out the sunshine to leave a murky haze, perfect for the odd sneaky pint. There are booths which seem ideal for plotting (including one which doesn’t have an opposite seat). Then there are the many posters that cover the walls, all nabbed from the CIA, which provide plenty of talking points and jog memories (there’s a prominent one for 3T).
Traders Tavern provides basic pub grub, steaks come in at just under £8 and they do a two for one offer Mondays to Thursdays between 12 – 3, but this the kind of place where they serve «Sweets» not «Desserts» so don’t expect to be wowed.
You’ll find HB on cask, Magners rather than Strongbow as the cider on tap and Coors is the fancy lager of choice. The jukebox sits in wondrous silence, the It-​box is a bit basic and there’s no Sky or pool table but there is a poker night on Thursdays (unless there’s a gig at the CIA) and anything more convoluted than that would not sit right in this old fashioned watering-​hole.

I love this pub. It’s right next to the CIA, which means there’s somewhere decent to go before a gig and the walls inside the bar are covered in posters of gigs gone by. I’ve spent ages trying to see who performed near my birthday say ten years ago!
It’s an old fashioned traditional pub and, unless there’s a gig at the CIA, is quiet and patronised by regulars. It’s a very friendly pub and one of the best in Cardiff, in my opinion.
I particularly love the stained glass that divides some seating areas.
I haven’t tried any of the food yet, but every time I go in there and see their special curry on offer, I’m always tempted. Maybe before this winter’s over I shall give it a whirl.