The Dolphin Inn

Walk into The Dolphin and you'll immediately clock why this place has near-perfect ratings—it's the kind of pub where regulars actually know the staff, and newcomers feel welcome within minutes. St Michael's Street isn't exactly heaving with options, but this place does the fundamentals brilliantly: well-kept ales, straightforward grub that doesn't pretend to be anything fancy, and an atmosphere that manages to be both lively and genuinely relaxed. The 4.8-star rating isn't inflated sentiment; people keep coming back because The Dolphin simply gets pubs right.