The Red Lion
📍 0.8 miles from St. Mary's Stadium
About this Pub
Why it's great for Matchdays
Right in Southampton city centre on the High Street (below the Bargate), The Red Lion is included in Visit Southampton’s pre-match itinerary as a spot to “pop inside for a pre-match pint and bite to eat,” making it a convenient base for matchdays. The pub serves food (full menus are published), and cask choices such as Flack’s Double Drop, Doom Bar and Summer Lightning are regularly reported, which suits groups looking for a proper pint before heading to St Mary’s. Recent away-fan trip reports also mention using The Red Lion for a first pint in town, suggesting a mixed matchday crowd rather than a home-only venue. In short: central, food on, and proven as a pre-match gathering point.
Recent Fan Reviews
Quaint British pub. Very old. Stayed for drinks twice. Very cheap prices. Wanted to eat but cook doesn't come in till after 6. Really local bar. Small and narrow but very unique instead.
Cool! Lively pub with plenty of room to sit with your gang or maybe plot a Tudor uprising. Service was polite and efficient even though it was pretty busy. Barmaid took the time to welcome us and chitchat a bit. The atmosphere and history are pretty real but they don’t live off their reputation it’s still a good pub even without the history. I think my favorite thing was sitting in the second floor balcony looking down on everything.
Really old historic pub, a bit spoilt by big TV screens but it brings in the locals. Worth a visit.
Absolutely phenomenal fish and chips in a classic pub setting. The best I have ever had. Crispy coating, excellent fries, peas and slaw/salad. I thoroughly cleaned my plate. A friendly barkeep takes your order at the bar and delivers the food to your table. The setting is quintessential English pub. On our visit, a number of raucous regulars were adding to the pub atmosphere. Lots of drinking, off color joking, laughter, and some vaping, but fortunately no smoking to ruin the taste of the food. Perhaps due to local regulations? Highly recommended.
Outstanding experience. Nice people work there. Good food. Comfortable place to eat, drink and enjoy the evening. The steak and ale pie and the sticky toffee pudding were so tasty we put off boarding our cruise ship the next day until later in the afternoon so we could have Sunday Roast before boarding.