The Hercules Bar

Head down Castle Street towards the Cathedral Quarter and you'll find The Hercules doing what it does best: being the kind of pub where regulars have their usual spot and the bartender knows what you're drinking before you order. It's got that warm, slightly worn-in feel that comes from decades of people actually wanting to be there, not because it's fashionable. The crowd's mixed—students rubbing shoulders with fellas who've been coming since the '90s—and there's often live music on, which means you might stumble in for a quiet pint and end up staying for a full session. Prices won't break the bank either, which is why it's stayed packed without needing to reinvent itself every five minutes.