Ladysmith Inn

Gross. Your typical trashy dive with uncouth service staff and unpleasant atmosphere. I left as soon as possible. Make sure you tip well and don't complain about anything or the staff may insult and threaten you with physical harm. Just say NO to the Sportsman Pub/Ladysmith Inn.

Ladysmith Car show, lovely hot sunny day, hundreds of hungry people. ONE cranky Cook.Old style pub right on the main drag, all the old timers sitting around the oval bar with a pint or two sitting in front of them. Probably a great gathering place at night for the locals, as I think this pub has been around for years…A group of 9 wanted to go to Bakery for lunch, but a few wanted to head to the Pub for a cold beer, which seemed like a great idea at the time as it was a hot day. Only two young ladies working the bar area and Patio upstairs; which we were the first to arrive up there around 12:20, we decided to sit there to overlook the car show, which we all have cars registered. Pitcher of nice cold beer arrived. We ordered promptly before our waitress went back downstairs as we wanted to get back to the show.We waited.. and waited.. and WAITED.. finally I went downstairs and asked where’s lunch? The lovely young lady behind the bar (the only one working the bar area) said it should be along shortly, we continued to wait, maybe 10 minutes. After an hour half my husband’s Chicken Caesar arrived. Funniest chicken Caesar we’d ever seen. My Dad’s sandwich also arrived a few of the burger/fries special of the day. Honestly I don’t even know how to describe the look of the meals, unpolished? You know when you go out to eat and the food arrives and it just looks good, nice and neat, just enough mayonnaise, fries are done right. I’m not a complainer, but honestly I was speechless when the food arrived. Those that had their food started to eat it cause they were so hungry, we were all starving by this time, so we couldn’t just walk out. Then my chicken Caesar arrived. OMG… is all I can say. Again, not a complainer, but I have included a picture for you to see for yourself. I went down and talked to the cook, cause I like to do that, but he didn’t give a rats house about the quality of the food he was pushing out of that kitchen. SO.. apparently after talking with the waitress’s, he just lease’s the kitchen space, so no fault of the Pubs the kitchen puts out bad food, but it is a reflection on them indirectly. They also mentioned the cook is known for putting the quick orders out first and the group orders out at his leisure. I actually felt really bad for the girls, they were so apologetic. We gave them a ‘private’ tip so that they didn’t need to share their 5% with the CRANKY COOK.

It is best when the upstairs deck is open and the sun is shining. I have taken a lot of people there to enjoy the fantastic salads, pizza and burgers on the deck while sipping drinks and relaxing!

Don't be put off by the exterior it is an old hotel and the pub is old style as well but go for the food, I passed it by for ages reading the specials list outside and thought no way would they produce what the menu said, how wrong i was the food is fantastic and reasonably priced.

Ratty sports bar full of the ghosts of coal miners. Main Street seems to shut down at 18.30 but at least this pub was the only life in an urban desert. However, whilst there is a limited menu of pizzas and soup, this is not available after 18.30!