One of my favourite pubs - been here several times. Children are welcome. I love the atmosphere, the style, the music, and the beer. And they have a nifty menu as well. Great fun is the pint of pretzels - just the thing to share while waiting for food to arrive, or just to nibble with your beer. It's a brewpub - not Southampton's first, but certainly the first in the 21st century.
The Dancing Man is the brewery, and I'm sure they still own this pub, but I'm unsure where the Platform Tavern beers are brewed these days. There is a brewery in The Dancing Man pub, and I suspect that the old brewery here may no longer be used.
My Feb 2015 review for BITE:
This is my sort of pub. In my exploration of pubs in Southampton, this one so far best suits me. The place is full of charm and quirks. There's a range of seating, including a comfy sofa beside the open fire. Lots of quirky knick-knacks. African masks, etc. Children are welcome. Decent range of good value meals, including plentiful veggie options (all day veggie breakfast for £5.50) It has it's own microbrewery, the Dancing Man, and it offers local beers as well as something or other from the ex major Hampshire brewery Gales (brand now owned by Fullers). The pint of pretzels is also a great idea. Live music, free newspapers, and a good ambiance. Plenty of character, good beers, good food, free newspapers, live music, an open fire, its own beers brewed on the premises, children welcome. Yep, this is my sort of place.
Date: Oct 2016 Score: 9
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| When the Titanic sailed from Southampton, it's berth was across the road from the pub, and it could be seen through the window behind Myles |
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| This is the less characterful side bar and room |
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| Beer from local brewery Steam Team in Eastleigh |
We've been here several times since the 2016 review, and the situation regarding the relationship between Dancing Man and Platform Tavern is now clearer. The couple that ran the Platform split up. The wife, who had the contacts and experience in the beer business, opened the Dancing Man pub, and built a new brewery there, taking the Dancing Man name with her. There was hope among the beer circle in Southampton that the Platform would continue to brew, but an arrangement was made as part of the legal split that the Platform could not brew beer for five years. That period is about to come to an end, but if after all this time they still have the desire and means to brew is another matter.
I picked up my second wife and kids from the railway station in about 2018 and brought them here for lunch and a few drinks before they embarked on a Mediterranean cruise from the docks. And have been here a number of times with my current wife and daughter. The last visit was during Covid restrictions in 2020 with Myles, during one of our Lads Who Lunch sessions. It was one of the first places to reopen, and it did good food and local beer (from Eastleigh's Steam Town brewery). We were the only customers inside, though a couple of people sat outside. I was glad to see over the following weeks that business picked up for the Platform. This is a good place.
Date: 2020 Score: 9
Returned with my big sis on one of our Sibling Days. We sat in the restaurant room, as Lyn wanted to see the room that was depicted in the poker scene in Titanic. We had the same lunch - doorstep granary egg mayo and cress sandwiches complete with crisps and a tasty salad. A really nice and great value lunch for £6. Brilliant!
I had two beers. Wild Weather Lux was a wishy washy session beer. Mr Logistics a dark bitter by local (New Forest) brewery Vibrant Forest, was very tasty and satisfying.
All in all this is still a good place.
Date: July heatwave, 2022 Score: 8
Platform Tavern
Town Quay
Southampton
SO14 2NY
Southampton
SO14 2NY
Open: Noon to 11pm (midnight at weekends)
Food: Noon to 9pm most days (no food between 3pm and 6pm, Mon to Thurs)
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