The Ancient Briton

Someone from this business manages this listing.

#1 of 3 Restaurants in PenycaeBar, British, $$ - $$$

What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

The Ancient Briton

Review

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+44 1639 730273Improve this listing

About

Travellers' Choice

2024

CAMRA award winning pub, with rooms, within the Brecon Beacons National Park. Offering real ale, real cider and real food. Find us in Brecon Beacons National Park at the very top of the Swansea Valley, just 2 miles from the National Show Cave Centre for Wales (Dan Yr Ogof). Proud to offer Real Ale, Real Cider and Real Food (where possible locally sourced). Vegan options available. Dog friendly within our bar area and large beer garden.

Features

CUISINES

Bar, British, Pub, Welsh

Meal types

Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Drinks

PRICE

$$ - $$$

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

Dog Friendly

Free off-street parking

Free Wifi

Full Bar

Highchairs Available

Mastercard

Outdoor Seating

Parking Available

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Television

Visa

Wine and Beer

Location

Brecon Road, Penycae, Brecon Beacons National Park SA9 1YY Wales

Free off-street parking, Parking Available

Does this restaurant offer outdoor seating?

Yes

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Hours

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Closed now

• Opens at 12:00 PM

Sunday

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Monday

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Tuesday

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Wednesday

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Thursday

12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Friday

12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Saturday

12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

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4.4

769 reviews

Excellent

521

Very good

128

Average

Poor

Terrible

Karen Fairweather

Swansea444 contributions

Overnight stay, Amazing food and a great atmosphere.

Oct 2024 • couples

We booked a room at this pub to meet friends in the evening for a meal. The room was above the bar, tea, coffee, etc. supplied. Individual toiletries are provided, comfortable bed and some of the best pillows so comfortable. The room we had was at the front so you could hear the traffic and talking in the bar as they do turn the music of at 10pm but the noise level was ok and didn't bother us. The meal in the evening was outstanding the steak and ale pies were beautiful, all four of us enjoyed our mains and desserts. In the morning we had breakfast which you have to give your order in the night before, this was as lovely as the evening meal. We enjoyed our stay with you and all the staff were so friendly. My husband was so impressed that he stuck his head in the kitchen this morning to thank the chef. This pub does get busy, so book a table if you are planning on going. Our friends had a dog and this pub is dog friendly. We look forward to a return visit in the future

Written 6 October 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Ancient Briton

Hi Karen, thanks for taking the time to leave such a lovely review and so sorry for the delay in responding. So pleased you all enjoyed your time with us and your husband 100% made our chef's day. Hope to see you again if ever in the area :-)

Written 19 February 2025

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kimberlysj2013

Gloucestershire53 contributions

Beautiful food, great service, lovely atmosphere

Feb 2023 • family

We arrived to a very warm reception, we hadn't made a reservation but our family of 2 adults and 3 young children were given a beautiful table by the open fire. The menu was extensive and the quality of the food was wonderful. The lunch menu was £9.99 and explained the portion sizes were slightly smaller, but on arrival there was plenty of food and more than enough, certainly not a small portion. The service was perfect, friendly yet professional.

Written 20 February 2023

stephen o

Swansea County13 contributions

10/10 . Nothing less

Jan 2025 • friends

We were a mixed party of 17 for a belated Christmas Bash. The service was excellent and there were no complaints whatsoever , not even from the most fussy among Us. The quality of the food was excellent , and the portions were more than ample . The fish was huge and overhanging the plates. Seventeen varied meals arrived as one. The girls worked extremely well and their professionalism reflected the high standards of the kitchen staff. If forward planning , I would recommend booking , but walkins are generally catered for.10/10

Written 24 January 2025

The Ancient Briton

Ah, thanks for much for the lovely review. Really does mean the world to us :-)

Written 19 February 2025

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

cazz22

6 contributions

Worst Sunday lunch, what you would expect from a builder cafe for a 3rd of the price.

Feb 2025 • family

For a place I would highly recommend and rank as the best place for Sunday lunch from 2021 (first experience) We haven’t been here for probably just under a year as we like to try other places for Sunday lunch. Today was the absolute worst Sunday lunch iv ever had in any pub/restaurant. To start we felt rushed to order, the child’s lunch came first and had no greens, tough beef, burnt Yorkshire, one half of a carrot and a dried up burnt parsnip. All my son could eat was the mash. Adults lunch was completely tasteless, only thing that had a flavour was the bowl of pepper with a hint of suede. (That’s what it looked like, saturated in pepper) The gravy was tasteless water and the beef was what you would expect in a microwave meal. It was inedible, this time the parsnips and carrots were soggy and boiled to death. Only saving grace was the pate starter, but £90 for 2x adults to have bread and a child to have mash. Maybe the chef phoned in sick but we Would never visit again, would rank todays Sunday lunch at the ancient the worst Iv ever tasted.

Written 16 February 2025

Paradise35620482066

1 contribution

Sadly it could have been so much better

Aug 2024 • family

Not having been to the Ancient Briton since under new ownership, we were looking forward to seeing what if any changes had been made to this charming pub. Indeed some changes have occurred which have not thankfully impacted on its delightful character. Having been seated at our table a very glum waitress took our drink orders and as they do not serve Chardonnay by the glass we chose to have a bottle of same to share between three. We also asked for a jug of water and some glasses, not difficult request you may think, however the glum unsmiling waitress was sadly challenged and deposited an ice filled pint glass with a set of tongs on the table. After much explication a jug of water and only one glass was provided. We chose to say nothing not wanting to embarrass the waitress. Food orders were taken, chicken curry for both my husband and daughter and chicken in a mushroom sauce for myself. It must be said that husband and daughter both enjoyed a plentiful meal and cleared their plates. Sadly my experience was far from enjoyable. The meal consisted of three very small potatoes, some very undercooked green beans, which were sampled by hubby and daughter who also found them inedible, a slightly overcooked chicken breast which had been cut in half, lots of pea shoots, and an acceptable mushroom sauce. The whole portion would not have been enough for a hungry child, and at a cost of £19 l felt justified in asking for more potatoes. Three more small potatoes were provided but l was informed that if l wanted better green beans it would take a further 10 mins to prepare. Not wanting to eat alone or cause a fuss l declined the offer and made do with potatoes and a small overcooked chicken breast for lunch. Glum waitress returned with the desert menu, my husband and daughter chose the chocolate brownie which was very good, l plumped for just vanilla ice cream, with which there was no issue. I am not a person who takes pleasure in complaining, but having paid £98 for a bad experience l hope that my review will go some way towards management ensuring polite happy staff and an equal quality in all the meals they provide. Lastly but importantly I wish to stress that I did not want or asked for a reduction in the cost of my meal, but an apology and a waitress with better training and people skills would have been very much appreciated.

Written 22 August 2024

The Ancient Briton

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback. Firstly, we are pleased to hear that your husband and daughter had an enjoyable and plentiful meal. We are saddened and taken a back by the comments regarding your experience. The reason is that we get a lot of positive feedback on this dish. Our chicken breasts are free range, sourced from a reputable local butcher, red tractor assured, larger in size than your typical chicken breast and not filled with water. Yes, not all chickens are the same size, so we are sorry if you feel the one presented to you was not satisfactory. With regards to your vegetables, we do cook these al dente to hold in the freshness but understand that on this occasion they were not to your liking. We cook these fresh, not from frozen. As with all feedback, which we always take seriously, we will meet with our wider team to see if any improvements can be made. Lastly, your service. Again, we are saddened to read your comments as we receive many positive reviews highlighting how amazing our team are. We apologies for this, as did our team on the day, and hope that this will not deter you from visiting us again in the future. Many thanks…

Written 23 August 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Neil P

1 contribution

Disapointing

Jul 2024 • family

Staff were initially welcoming, but once meal was eaten it was constant harasment to pay and leave. 20.30 on a Thursday evening with only a few tables occupied? Would liked to have had another drink and time to relax and chat, instead made to feel unwelcome and stoping staff clearing and laying the table. So as directed we payed up and left.

Written 18 July 2024

The Ancient Briton

Thanks for your feedback. We are very shocked to hear this as this does not sound like our team. We receive countless positive reviews directly as a result of our staff, many of which have been with us since day one. There are other Ancient Briton's but if this review is directed at us, we can only say sorry and hope this does not deter you from visiting us again. Many thanks.

Written 23 August 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Richard K

Penarth118 contributions

Rude staff, disorganised and over priced.

May 2024 • family

Stopped off here on the way back from the show caves as it looked great from the road and was busy. We walked into the pub and ordered drinks and the barman tutted that we had ordered 5 soft drinks. I tapped my card and no thank you or acknowledgement the payment had gone through. He commented that there was not enough staff and we had to eat outside and no food could be ordered inside and taken to the tables outside. Our option was to use the burger and pizza truck outside. At £14 for a burger or pizza, the prices seemed steep but we were keen to get something. The only thing that I could eat as gluten free was chips (separate fryer) and the grumpy lady on the grill said she was too busy to put cheese on top. I asked if I could have a naked burger and I was abruptly told that all I could have was chips. I was also told it was an hour wait for the two bowls of chips and the lady pointed at the row of tickets. We waited, people behind us were told that there was no more chips so had to go without. How can you run out of chips on a busy Bank Holiday Monday? I collected the order when my buzzer went off and again no comment or interaction, just a frosty glare from the woman on the grill. I asked about forks and apparently they had run out of them too. Wales prides itself on warm people and friendly service, I can honestly say, I have never met a hospitality business so rude and unwelcoming. People with allergens, be prepared to feel like an inconvenience- drive on, they clearly don’t want your business.

Written 27 May 2024

Emily J

3 contributions

Rude waitress

Aug 2024 • couples

I have never come across such a rude waitress as I did here. I was grunted at when I asked for more sauce, it seems we were an inconvenience just by being there. Was so looking forward to food, but that was average at best, the portions are tiny! They try to justify their prices by having everything sourced locally, I'm sorry but most restaurants in the area source their meat locally? I wouldn't mind paying if the food was nice, but it was extremely bland, meat was tough and hardly any of it. I think the staff would benefit from some basic hospitality training and had some lessons in basic manners. So disappointing, we will not be returning.

Written 24 August 2024

The Ancient Briton

Hi, thanks for taking the time to leave your review. All reviews are welcome as they help us develop. So sorry your experience wasn't as we would have wished. On your point re: locally sourced. Everything can be classed as locally sourced if you include buying from a local supermarket or a local wholesaler. However, were do they get their produce from....? In the UK, you can get beef, for instance from outside of the UK, but as long as it's butchered in Wales, legislation states you can call it Welsh. We, on the otherhand, truly offer locally sourced. We get our meat from a highly reputable local 4th generation butcher, who in turn directly sources his meat from local Welsh farms (some within 7 miles of the pub). Our food is all made fresh, not from frozen, our portions have been complimented on as being anything from tiny or bland. It seems that for you, we didn't hit the mark and we are sorry about that.

Written 27 September 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

steve

United Kingdom12 contributions

Failed to deliver

Feb 2025 • couples

Start with the good , great staff and extremely warm welcome during a busy time and (I think) was the owners very friendly and chatty Breakfast was very well cooked a nice choice of hot and cold Unfortunately the bed in room 1 was worst I ever slept on so uncomfortable and noisy every slight movement it would sound likes it’s breaking also alot of noise above the room, Lovely atmosphere in the bar area and a really really good selection of drinks however the restaurant I felt very cramped as tables was so close together, The starters (calamari and the goats cheese tart) we had was well cooked and a nice size however mains was a big disappointment I had the fish it was large and extremely well cooked how ever the chips were still undercooked in the middle so I doubt they was the triple cooked chip as stated on menu My partner has the burger which was served in a Huge bun with so much pickle you couldn’t find the burger which unfortunately was that undercooked it almost walked of the tiny board it was served on, we did send back and the second one was still pink and undercooked We did not eat !! Again staff was great and over all a lovely pub however left feeling slightly dissatisfied

Written 23 February 2025

BettySouthWales

United Kingdom105 contributions

Very short lunch menu.

May 2023 • friends

We stopped on our journey for lunch at this restaurant thinking it looked very pleasant. Sadly the food was not good. The main meals are expensive ie. battered fish, chips and peas £19.50. On offer was a smaller meal lunch menu of 3 choices, available for £11.99 We chose the 6oz rump steak with chips and peas option, and the 6oz gammon ( which turned out to be a gammon steak not a slice as expected) with chips and peas. Both meats were very tough , the peas undercooked but very good chips. Only half the meats were eaten . Sadly the plates were served cold so the chips went cold quickly. We were very disappointed and will not be calling again.

Written 14 May 2023

Beth T

Hay-on-Wye11 contributions

Worse meal ever.

Aug 2024 • family

Tuesday lunchtime - The salmon moose was simply salmon mashed by a fork, full of sinew strings and skin lumps. Smelt off and was inedible. Steak pies was small with extremely thick crust which was very difficult to cut. No evidence of any steak pieces. Mash was "off for 30 minutes" so had chips instead. Service was very slow. Waited 15 minutes to get a bill (less moose cost) and further 10 minutes to pay at bar as waitress was fighting an inoperable coffee machine. Will not go there again. KCH

Written 21 August 2024

Emma B

Neath Port Talbot6 contributions

Lovely food, beer and welcome.

Oct 2024 • couples

We visited on a busy Saturday afternoon and even though we hadn’t booked we were able to get a table. The staff are excellent. We had the fish and a burger and onion rings. All good was hot and delicious. The fish was fresh and served with lovely homemade chips. Cannot fault this place and we will be back. They also have a van outside serving pizza, coffee and light bites. That looks good too. Highly recommend. Dog friendly in the restaurant and bar.

Written 26 October 2024

The Ancient Briton

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely review - sorry it's taken so long to respond. Our streetfood van has gone into her winter hyberation but she'll be back up and running from next Spring so hopefully you'll give this a go if you're in the area :-)

Written 18 December 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mark S

7 contributions

Hungry

May 2024 • family

Noted online excellent reviews. We passed prior to visiting local attractions. Arrived at 13;30 No tables inside and we were told they were short staffed and no food outside from inside. There was an out door eatery serving burgers pizza and chips. Did not cater for allergies and it was obvious that staff were stressed as we were told it would be an hour for food. They told us this many times. We noted that outside could cater for 120 heads at a time. Staff very unfriendly and not helpful very disappointed.

Written 27 May 2024

ShovelH

Guildford74 contributions

I have found my perfect pub at last!

Sept 2023 • couples

Where to start! Well firstly the pub itself looks fabulous (inside and out) and with the backdrop of The Brecon Beacons it is situated in an idyllic location (we drove half an hour from Swansea to visit and it was definitely worth the drive). But the warmth of the welcome (and the warmth from the log burner!) made it instantly feel like home. The food was varied and excellent with the usual favourites such as burger and fish and chips plus the curry was delicious. Sadly, my appetite failed me on the dessert menu so I’ll just have to come back to sample that. The selection of beers (including two really nice local beers) was perfect, regrettably I wasn’t staying at the pub or I would have happily worked my way through the choice of beers. What really set it apart was the warm welcome from the locals so thank you to everyone who made us feel so welcome. Obviously a very special thank you to the amazing Kirsty who recommended it to us as it is an absolute gem. Now to the one and only bad point! That’s easy, it’s not my local pub and I so wish it was as it really is my perfect pub. I’m just going to have to find an excuse to travel the 170 miles to come back to it.

Written 21 September 2023

Peter Kirk

Thanks so much - we are truly humbled by your comments. So pleased you love our pub (and our locals) as much as we do. Hope to see you again very soon :-)

Written 31 October 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Chris W

4 contributions

Bring a power tool......

Sept 2024 • couples

Second and last visit. First time in 2023 had a great lunch. Yesterday a year later:- dirty glass. Ice added when specifically asked No ice twice. The beef pie sounded awesome. However upon arrival, and without my power saw, I couldn't get through the at least thrice baked crust. I struggled and left most of the crust. As we'd complained twice already I couldn't face conflict again. Waitress Millie was delightful and suffered our gripes with a smile. Eventually when asked if everything was okay, I caved in and vented. She reduced the pie meal by 50%. Strictly the whole deal should have been scratched. I did say I was not going to share publicly but I changed my mind. (sorry Millie, wasn't your fault but at the prices charged id expect Egon Ronay or Michelin guide levels) They are losing customers with substandard food offerings. So well done Millie. Shame on chef, who wouldn't serve this to his family for sure.

Written 29 September 2024

The Ancient Briton

Thanks for taking the time to leave your review. Our Steak, Ale & Perl Las pie is handmade by our chefs using a hot water pastry, not shortcrust, and we do state this on the menu. As we understand it, it was the crimping at the top of pie that was left. Unlike pies made by machine, this is hand crimped and just being less than 1mm out can make all the difference. We receive lots of compliments about our pies but we want every customer to ‘love’ them so we will work on a different way of crimping to reduce the amount of pastry on the top. I hope, that aside from this element, you enjoyed your meal. Regarding the ice and dirty glass, we can’t understand how this happened but will certainly speak with our entire front of house team to ensure this does not happen again.

Written 1 October 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.