The Shakespeare pours traditional ales and lagers inside a sumptuous 14th-century building, just a short stroll from the bustling Place de la Comédie. The charm of the setting, a professional and cheerful team, and English beers brewed at the pub's own brewery in Bedfordshire come together to create a genuine English pub experience — the kind new customers love to discover and regulars come back to again and again.
The heart of it all is the beer. Twelve draft lines (served as generous 56.8cl pints, roughly €7–9) run from easy-drinking sessions to bigger, bolder pours: the Foghorn Hazy Session IPA (4.3%, all stonefruit and citrus), the juicy Hop & Heart New England IPA (6.2%, mango and passionfruit), the balanced Charlie Wells Triple Hop IPA, and the caramel-and-toffee Wells English Ale (3.6%), alongside a cloudy Wit a Minute Witbier, the smooth, coffee-tinged Genesis Bedford Stout, and a sweet Cherry Red Cherry Ale. Cider lovers are well looked after too, with the crisp Stowford Press and the rich, rounded Henry Weston's Vintage (8.2%), while the lager line-up spans the golden John Bull, the zesty Charlie Wells Dry Hop, and the malty Crafty Seadog Helles Bock. There's a fridge full of bottles and cans, a solid range of 0% beers and ciders, plus cocktails and spritzes (all €10.5, or €27 by the pitcher) — from a Mojito or Margarita to a Pornstar Martini, an Aperol Spritz, or a crowd-pleasing Long Island Iced Tea — along with mocktails (all €6.5), shooters, bombs, and a selection of local and specialty wines if you'd rather ask the team.
To soak it all up, there's an easygoing menu of plates to share (or not). Nibble on a bowl of marinated olives (€3), nachos with guacamole and salsa (€8), crispy falafel balls with tzatziki or breaded camembert bites with sweet chilli (€9 each), chicken tenders with BBQ sauce (€9), a roasted potato bowl or vegetable focaccia (€7), or pub classics like the croque-monsieur with cured ham and melted cantal (€7) and a traditional 200g Savoie saucisson with pickles and bread (€9.5). Most extras and dips come in at just €1.5.
What sets The Shakespeare apart is everything happening around the bar. Happy Hour runs every single day from 15:00 to 19:00, with pints from just €6 and a real taste of England in craft brews from Brewpoint in Bedford. The week is packed with events — a Pub Quiz on Mondays at 21:00, a Darts Tournament on Tuesdays at 20:00, and a Blind Test on Wednesdays at 21:00 — and when the sport is on, the place comes alive. With TVs throughout the pub, you won't miss a goal, try, or wicket, whether it's Ligue 1, the Premier League, the Champions League, La Liga, the Rugby World Cup, or the Six Nations, with live entertainment often following the final whistle.
Warm, lively, and unmistakably English, The Shakespeare is Montpellier's go-to spot for a proper pint, a great atmosphere, and good company — right in the centre of town.