The Lawrence Arms
📍 0.7 miles from Fratton Park
About this Pub
Why it's great for Matchdays
The Lawrence Arms positions itself as a Pompey matchday pub, posting about the “first home game” and inviting supporters in before and after fixtures, with early opening and simple matchday bites like sausage sandwiches and toasties. It’s roughly 1 km from Fratton Station for easy access to and from the ground. Inside, multiple screens show live sport with Sky/BT, so you can catch the early kick-off or results after the game. Food is straightforward and quick—toasties through the week and Sunday roasts—handy for pre- or post-match. A rotating beer line-up (with a regular Harvey’s Sussex Best and frequent guest kegs/casks) gives plenty of choice for celebrating a win.
Recent Fan Reviews
Great traditional and very welcoming pub in Southsea. We were only in Portsmouth for a couple of night but were recommended this pub. Seems to a community pub with lots of board games and local news notices. Also dog friendly. The owner who I bumped into has two beautiful two Dalmatians. Worth a visit.
Lovely family/locals pub serving a great selection of reals ales and ciders. On Sundays they do an excellent roast, and if you go between 12 - 1pm they offer an ‘early bird deal’; £11.50 for a small roast or £13.50 for the large (which really is big!) With a selection of meats and sides to choose from you customise your own roast. The quality is very good I don’t know of a better value roast anywhere. A lovely touch is the little toothpick flag stuck into one of the roasties with your name on it. Booking is a must. The staff are always very friendly and chatty too. Definitely recommend!! Ps. If it’s your first time visiting don’t forget to ask about the time a car drove into the pub - literally!
Went back here for the first time in 20+ years for a birthday roast dinner and it was like coming home. Such a warm welcome by the staff and all the patrons, this place really is a hidden gem. The food was absolutely amazing, real home-cooked food straight out of the oven - none of the usual microwave reheated wet stuff you get in the chain pubs. My partner and I had the vegetarian roast and I can honestly say, after 23 years of searching, this is the best roast in Portsmouth. The portion size was immense! Absolutely delicious and our labrador was welcomed and duly doted on by all the staff and customers, a truly dog friendly pub. Highly recommended.
A cracking public house with super friendly staff and drinkers. The beer range is good and the cask is exceptionally well kept. I think there are six hand pumps with five on rotation. The sixth is reserved solely for Harvey's.
Haven't been here for years, pleasant redecoration making a cost and pleasant pub with plenty of ales on offer and friendly Landlord explaining the changes made since Lockdown. Proper pub no wall to wall Sports TV here. Stout was excellent btw. Would use again