Daniel’s Pub is a literal hole in the wall just past the Heritance Ahungalla. The entrance is about 10 feet wide and set back from the road, so it’s easy to miss. It is, however, worth entering. While the bites are so-so, the beer is cold and it has a collection of some randomly amazing furniture.
Drinks/Food
Daniel’s Pub is a bar foremost. We wouldn’t recommend cocktails there, but they have cold beer and various varieties of liquor, mostly local. The bites we had ranged from OK (chicken fried rice) to inedible (deviled pork, which had the consistency of shoe). We wouldn’t stray too much from the usual french fries here. The drinks, again, are the same as any dodgy bar. At this level all that really matters is whether the drinks are cool, and they are.
Location
If you’re staying at a coastal hotel around Ahungalla or Bentota, a small beer can cost almost Rs. 500 (about Rs. 400 more than it should). This bar, right next to the Heritance Hotel, offers relief from such price gouging.
It’s also a beautiful little bar. Every set of furniture is different, but they’re all very nice. There are almyrahs, heavy wooden doors turned into tables, what look like court benches. The walls have pictures of historical bars in Sri Lanka and international figures from across the world (Elvis, Marilyn Monroe). It’s a cool spot.
Service
Like any dodgy bar, the service is better than you’d get at most 5 star hotels. It’s a local bar and not entirely friendly to women, but not hostile. The staff were polite but we can’t vouch for the clientele.
Conclusion
Charming place for a beer along the coast, but not best for bites.
