Description:
Bank Hey Street, Blackpool, FY1 4RU
01253 743690

Opened 8-11pm most nights but 12 and 1am Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The Albert and the Lion is part of the JD Wetherspoons range of pubs/restaurants. It opened in 2010.

The restaurant is located on the seafront of Blackpool promenade. There is no restaurant parking on site but there are nearby car parks in the town centre. Trams and buses stop a short distance from the restaurant. Children are welcomed (high chairs/menu available) as are disabled guests. The restaurant offers free WIFI and has outdoor seating as well as televisions showing sports. The disabled toilet is on the main floor but the other toilets are downstairs. They are by far the cleanest, stylish and most spacious toilets of any Wetherspoons we have visited.

This Wetherspoons restaurant/pub is located in the former Woolworths building and directly under the Blackpool Tower and Sports Direct. It is named after a famous monologue of the same title. The restaurant is set across one level with various booths, high tables and regular tables to sit at. The bar is located along one side of the restaurant and the kitchen hatch was at the far side. The decor of this pub is pleasant - dark wooden railings and pretty chandelier lights giving the restaurant a spacious and well lit atmosphere.

The Albert and the Lion has a typical Wetherspoons menu with a few changes compared to the Scottish menu. They offer weekly deals including Curry Night for £6.99, Steak Night and also a Sunday roast menu for a similar price. This restaurant serves breakfast until midday. Breakfast is a typical fry/grill up and also rolls with fillings, pancakes etc priced from £1.75 upwards.

The main menu features an array of dishes to suit most tastes. There is a range of starters including soup, nachos and king prawns (£2.59 - £5.49). They offer a huge range of salads, noodles, baguettes and wraps with various fillings. These can include chips for an extra £1.00 and are averagely priced from £4.39. Other light bites include baked potatoes for £4.20.

Main meals include a varied selection of grills (free drink included) such as an 8oz rump steak and BBQ melt (£7.39-£9.39). Burger meal deals are priced from £6.90 and include a drink and chips. Vegetarians have a choice of meals including a veggie burger, chilli made with Quorn and noodles to name a few. Children have a choice of meals including sausages, chicken, burger with sides and a bag of fruit/drink for £4ish. Desserts include sticky toffee pudding, waffles and ice cream for around £4.00.

This restaurant stocks a huge range of drinks - just like any other Wetherspoons. Non-drinkers are offered various soft drinks (Pepsi not Cola, Irn Bru and the likes) as well as fruit juice. Bottled and draught beers are available from £1.99 and include Guiness and Fosters. Spirits are available as are shots (special deals on 5 for £5) and pitchers of mixed cocktail drinks for £12. They also offer wine.

~Our Meal~

On the last day of our holiday in Blackpool, we were looking for somewhere to get a bite to eat before the 4hour journey home. As we were walking along the promenade, we spotted the Albert and the Lion and remembered my parents had been here for breakfast two weeks prior and had enjoyed it.

I, as a rule, like Wetherspoons pubs for dining in. I find them to offer a good selection of dishes, tasty food and are extremely affordable. The Albert and the Lion is pleasant inside and we picked a table next to the window. The building from the outside is nothing special to look at but inside is clean and well decorated. Thankfully the restaurant has more lighting than the other Wetherspoons we have been too. We ordered our food at the bar and were served our food within 15 minutes by a friendly but not estactic waitress (she appeared to be the only one serving despite how busy the restaurant was).

The menu wasn't exciting or new to us and was almost identical to my local Wetherspoons. What I did notice was that menu prices were a bit more expensive than my local here in Scotland. I can only assume that this is common in touristy towns. An example of this is the burger deal which is more than £2.00 expensive in Blackpool than in Glasgow.

Anyway, our food was served hot and basic but well presented. My son opted for sausage and chips (again - yes he was addicted) which was served in a big portion. He enjoyed his little bag of fruit and Fruit Shoot and polished off his plate. My fiance wasn't overly hungry so opted for a tuna mayo baguette (with malted bread, salad leaves and tomato - £3.29). The baguette was a decent size and generously filled with a creamy tuna mayo filling. It was neatly presented and my fiance confirmed it was delicious and flavoursome.

I opted for a panini (Wiltshire cured ham and mature Cheddar cheese and mayonnaise - £5.29 with chips). The chips were thick and delicious with a pleasant seasoning. The panini was quite large but a tad overcooked which made it a little too hard on the outside but still edible. The ham filling was absolutely delicious and of a high quality without being too salty. There wasn't much cheese or mayo so certain parts of the panini was a little dry. Overall my meal was fairly tasty but not amazing. It was quite filling though.

After we finished our main meals, we had a little space left for a dessert. I plumped for Belgian Waffles which are amazing! They were served hot with maple syrup and some creamy, vanilla ice cream. According to the website though, this dish contains a shocking 809 calories! Lucky I shared it with my son then isn't it! My fiance was a bit healthier than me and opted for fresh fruit with yoghurt at 290 calories. The fruit salad was very fresh tasting and had a nice mix of apple, banana and grapes with creamy yoghurt - perfect for those watching the calories.

I wasn't completely impressed with my meal but was still able to finish it fine. Like any other Wetherspoons we have dined at, the food was decent enough but the desserts are amazing. Our bill (which was paid at the time of order in cash) included a childrens meal, 2 light main meals, 2 desserts, a large Pepsi and a can of juice came to around £20 which is a fair price to pay.

Overall I can recommend the Albert and the Lion - it is nothing special but it is your typical Wetherspoons establishment but on the seafront!

Thanks for reading :)Close