The Oddfellows

Can’t understand why anyone would feel the need to slate this place its great and with regard to the previous reviewer moaning about lack of character trust me I have been in the pub industry myself for many years, this place has character! Character is in the eyes of the beholder I guess! I can only assume the previous the reviewer got Oddfellows muddled up with Wetherspoons! food good, drink good cocktails ‘bloomin’ awesome and the only place in Exeter might I add to get a proper cocktail these days! Well done Oddfellows!

My first impression of this bar was that it was a bit modern and trendy for my tastes, but a place that serves 4 real ales (including Tribute and Proper Job) and that still has seating despite being busy on a friday night is pretty much exactly what I am looking for in a pub.
A decent fallback if heading to Firehouse and It is too busy (or charging for entry), but a good venue in its own right.

Good atmosphere; nice and bright interior. Lots of alcoves and places to sit. Good comfortable armchairs. Don’t know what the food’s like but it’s a good pub — definitely

I’ve mixed feelings about Oddfellows. On one hand, this is one seriously swish bar and a great addition to the Exeter nightlife (and when you consider what went before it, this is a step up of around a thousand per cent. This is not an exaggeration).
The bar is cosy and welcoming, the staff are friendly, there’s a cocktail bar upstairs and the selection of food and drink is good. There’s a laid-​back crowd, a mixture of students and locals, and it’s close to the city centre.
Yet there’s something about the prices that seem a bit excessive for Exeter and while the food was nice, it again didn’t quite justify the cost. And while, dear God let’s not ever go back to the Thirsty Camel, it’s slick, it occasionally feels too slick.
But then I spent six hours drinking with friends in there the other night and had a great time and the staff were hugely accommodating when we asked for food and hadn’t booked. My complaints feel a bit niggly when I put it into context, if I’m honest, as Oddfellows is a very fine place.
Perhaps I just like my pubs to have a few flaws and character. But don’t let this put you off. It’s very different to the rest of Exeter’s pubs and bars, in the best possible way, and for that reason alone it should be celebrated and frequented.

I do like this spot.
I never really stayed long in it’s previous incarnations, but the new owner’s & staff make you feel much more realxed & welcomed. It’s a lovely, chilled bar which has the potential to get livelier at the weekend. The cocktail bar upstairs is awesome, Chris is a mean cocktail maker, probably the best I’ve met & I drink a lot!

The Odd Fellows opened some time ago, replacing the Thirsty Camel, but it took me a while to get round to visiting it. Situated very handily for town and close to my other favourite The Firehouse, this is a great choice for city centre drinking.
The Odd Fellows sells a nice range of cocktails in its upstairs bar, whilst the downstairs bar has more space for chatting. Both are nicely decorated with lots of wood, completely fab wallpaper (especially in the hallway) and lots of nice details — like lampshades!
I have not eaten in the Odd Fellows (YET) but have not so far heard a single bad word about the food there — the kitchen is at the back of the ground floor and is visible from the pub, which doe inspire confidence!

It’s always nice to see new venues opening (although sad that it inevitably requires old venues to close!) — in this case, Oddfellows has replaced the Thirsty Camel. I have mixed feelings about the changeover, since the Thirsty Camel was the venue for many a drunken student evening of fun (monkey brains anyone?). However, Oddfellow is a classier affair all round, with a rather nice cocktail lounge. However, I think they must have a problem with damp as it smells a bit iffy up there, which is a shame since it’s so nicely decorated. They have some bizarre cocktails and some lovely ones, all at usual cocktail prices (i.e. take out a second mortgage before you go out!).

The Oddfellows is the current incarnation of the pub that in my memory has also been The Gate Cider-​bar and the Thirsty Camel, but it is totally different.
The menu (and the specials) have something that is likely to please most people and seems to rotate some items. I’ve had some great fish and vegetarian dishes here.
The prices will suit most those on smaller budgets as well, it’s also good to be able to see that kitchen is very clean!
I nearly always have lunch here if I’m Exeter at the right time.