I wasn’t expecting much when I walked into Chesterfields Pub in Marrakesh, but I certainly wasn’t prepared for what I found. This place feels like a warped time machine back to the 1980s—a British pub that’s been left to decay and now smells like stale beer, old cigarette smoke, and regret.
You know the kind of pub I’m talking about—the sort you’d find in a British town on a dreary Sunday afternoon, where the local regulars stare into their pint glasses, waiting for something to change. Yes there is aport on TV, but this is not a place to chat, it is where you come to be depressed.
It smelt like my childhood
On entry to the “pub” I was given that unmistakable next day odor of fags and stale beer, or as I like to call it my youth. I may not be that pro the smoking ban, but there are some smells that deserve to stay in room 101.
I figured it was just an off moment. After all, it was still early in the afternoon, so I decided to wait it out. I arrived at 1 PM, thinking it would be opening time, but nothing happened. I waited. And waited. By 3 PM, a few people wandered in, but it wasn’t exactly the bustling pub atmosphere I had been hoping for. No warm, welcoming buzz, just a few people awkwardly sipping their drinks while the place remained eerily still. There’s a certain energy you expect from a pub—people chatting, laughing, and enjoying the space—but here, it felt like the place was stuck in limbo, neither dead nor alive, just… there.
The Menu That Stings
When the staff finally got around to serving drinks, I took a look at the menu. A pint of draft beer for $5.50 didn’t seem too bad—especially for Marrakesh, where prices can vary wildly. But then I saw the rest of the prices, and my jaw almost hit the floor. A Coke at $4.50? Are we serious?
And a Long Island Iced Tea for $12? If you’re going to charge those prices, at least make sure the atmosphere matches the cost. Unfortunately, it felt more like a desperate attempt to cash in on tourists who don’t know better. If I pay New York prices, I want New York standards, Chesterfields is not that.
Click to read about the best Shawarma in Marrakesh.
A Glimpse of What It Once Was
What’s even more disappointing is the hotel that’s attached to the pub. Looking at the building and the decor, it’s clear this place once had a bit of grandeur. You can almost picture the days when Chesterfields Pub was the go-to spot, the kind of place people would flock to for a good time. The faded walls, the dusty furniture, and the old-school lighting all give you a hint that this was once a much grander place. But those days are long gone. Now, the pub feels more like a forgotten relic, clinging to a past it can’t seem to escape.
The whole place has the feeling of somewhere that was once thriving but now exists in a state of decline, relying on its outdated reputation and its fading history. Chesterfields Pub is trying to hang on to something that simply isn’t there anymore.
A Real Letdown
So, is Chesterfields Pub the worst bar in Marrakesh? I wouldn’t say it’s the worst in a technical sense—there are certainly worse places to grab a drink. But when you factor in the prices, the lack of atmosphere, and the general sense of abandonment that hangs over the place, it’s definitely not somewhere I’d recommend. It’s overpriced, underwhelming, and lacking in any kind of charm or life. If you’re in Marrakesh and looking for a pub experience, don’t waste your time here. There are better places in the city that offer a far more authentic and enjoyable experience.
At the end of the day, Chesterfields Pub might not be the worst bar in Marrakesh, but it sure comes close. It’s a place that desperately needs a reinvention if it wants to attract more than just the occasional lost tourist passing through. Essential there are just better places to spend your time and hard earned money.