Latest reviews from York
| 70 /100 Victoria, York (Bar) 1 HESLINGTON ROAD “Lovely little pub on the outskirts of town. Right by our AirB&B so we popped in on the way in and out of town. Really clean, nice ambiance and a good selection of Old Mill cask taps.
Football on the TV and friendly staff.“ |
| 12 /100 Postern Gate (JDW) (Bar) 90 PICCADILLY “Generic spoons. Not my choice to visit but I was on a stag do and had to follow the crowd. Toilets were flooded, piss everywhere, food took ages, overcrowded. Not my scene.“ |
| 88 /100 Trembling Madness Drinks Shop (Beer Store) 48 STONEGATE “Fantastic selection of beers. Almost too many for me to get my head around. Only had a quick look around as I was on a stag do and the party wanted to move on. Picked up a few bottles to take home.
100% will return!“ |
| 68 /100 Golden Fleece (Bar) 16 PAVEMENT “Old crooked wobbly building with interesting decor. Nice ambiance, there was a man with a guitar when we were there singing which was nice. Not the greatest selection of beer but still, glad we popped in. It’s haunted apparently.“ |
| 76 /100 14 LENDAL “Popped in on 20/5/23. Towards the end of the night so I was a bit too wobbly to conduct a detailed review. Lovely ambiance and great selection of beer. I need to go back to really appreciate it.“ |
| 78 /100 Brew York Beer Hall (Bar) UNIT 5, ENTERPRISE COMPLEX, WALMGATE “I have only been to the tap room before. This is the large upstairs bar. 40 keg lines with a small selection of guest beers. Large area with plenty of bench seating. Tasting flights as 4 x 1/3. The Korean street foods was really good. Dog friendly.“ |
| 72 /100 Valhalla York (Bar) 4 PATRICK POOL “Pub in the centre of York near to the shambles. As you’d expect very much the Viking feel. Plenty of wood and sheepskin. It can get busy in the evenings but my visit was on a Wednesday lunch time. Small beer selection but new for me beers on keg cask and can. There was a decent selection of different meads but not really my thing.“ |
| 76 /100 Trembling Madness Drinks Shop (Beer Store) 48 STONEGATE “Reviewing this for the online shop. Big selection of UK and international beers, including some Czech beers that I couldn't find anywhere else. Fast delivery and good packaging. My only gripes are the way the website is organised - there's no option of filtering search results by country, style, etc. It's a bit clunky, as previously mentioned by wheresthepath - and also the prices are a bit high. Update: -2 to the overall score because I ordered some Czech beers that were almost out of date and there was no warning about this.“ |
| 66 /100 80 GOODRAMGATE “Nicholson’s pubs tend to present as charming olde-worlde eateries, and the Old White Swan is no exception. It sure is pretty with tourist-ready exposed brickwork, and it conveys a festive conviviality in mid-November. However all that glisters, etc. etc., and this is evident nowhere more clearly than in the beer selection. I have in the past been critical of Nicholson’s pared-down post-pandemic beer choices; to their credit the choice tends to be improving but you are still unlikely to find many ticks (I found two). As it’s close to so many great beer pubs, it’s a perfect place to regroup for a half or two & have a bite to eat (if you can stretch to the expensive menu). It has its merit, and missable only due to the insane number of good choices in York.“ |
| 74 /100 Three Legged Mare (Bar) 15 HIGH PETERGATE “Decent Black Sheep pub on Petergate and a stone’s throw from York Minster. Unlike the Maltings (q.v.), the selection here is heavily devoted to Black Sheep. I’m fine with this as a) they have Riggwelter on cask and b) there are some decent guests including a keg IPA from BBNo. Great service. Child and dog friendly. You may not get 487 ticks but I’d recommend stopping here if nearby.“ |
| 68 /100 Last Drop Inn, York (Bar) 27 COLLIERGATE “Decent York (& therefore Black Sheep) Brewery bar just off Kings Square. Walking in, it has the feel of a posh coffeehouse or slightly upmarket micropub. They seem to specialise a bit more in BlackSheep beers here than some of their other pubs in town, but there are still quite a few cask guests to choose from including beers from Brew York, Wensleydale, Helmsley, plus keg from the likes of BBNo and Burning Sky. Not an unmissable beer pub, but one that adds to the spirit of York having good beer pubs. If that makes sense.“ |
| 68 /100 Snickleway Inn (Bar) 47 GOODRAMGATE “Atmospheric old pub close enough to the tourist area to pull you in, but not quite enough to get crowded. Well, there are plenty of locals enjoying the booze and character here. It’s dark and maybe a bit gloomy but certainly friendly. The beer choice isn’t spectacular: about six sessionable casks plus Heart & Soul and Gamma Ray on keg, supplemented by four Lilley’s ciders. So you’ll likely find something new to you. If not, it’s still worth popping in and soaking up the feel of the place.“ |
| 84 /100 48 STONEGATE “A craft beer paradise in York city Centre. Make your way past the tourist traps to find where the real action is. A great bottle shop awaits you on the ground floor, with an upstairs bar that carries 3 cask and 8 keg plus quite a few bottles and cans behind the bar. The emphasis is on quality, not quantity, with Deya, Northern Monk, Vault City and Overtone flowing. It’s expensive, so be prepared for that. I’d give this the title of best place in York for me, so far. Certainly a destination.“ |
| 80 /100 Caffe La Tazzina (Restaurant) 12 BLOSSOM STREET “Amazing little Italian cafe which also happens to have one of the (if not the) best craft beer lists in York. It is a restaurant and, while drinkers are welcome, you may have to wait your turn. So don't cut it fine if you've got a nearby train (as I did). You will be kept hostage by the delights from Vault City, Wylam, Polly's and Unity as well as a few exciting UK breweries new to me (Lost Pier, Merakai). The best kept secret in York by some way.“ |
| 70 /100 Duke of York, York (Bar) 3 - 4 KING’S SQUARE “A Leeds Brewery pub in the centre of the city. A couple of rooms sprouting out from the main bar area, all a bit staid and overformal. About 8 cask from the likes of Leeds, Cameron, Half Moon and Rudgate plus a bit of keg from Brew York, Magic Rock and Turning Point. Selection is a tiny bit better than the same brewery's Eagle & Child (q.v.) so worth popping in if you have time although not an essential visit.“ |
| 54 /100 Guy Fawkes Inn (Bar) 25 HIGH PETERGATE “Yeah... this isn't really a beer pub, nice enough though it may be. Sadly I couldn't find a tick among the five cask beers, and the beer that I did try wasn't in particularly good condition. Its a shame, as York is teeming with crazy good beer places, that this pub isn't able to up its game just that little bit. On the expensive side as well.“ |
| 82 /100 Pivni (Bar) 6 PATRICK POOL “Okay, yes please. This is more like it: a lovely little Euro-inspired beer house down a side street away from the hustle and bustle of York. You'll need to be okay with stairs as there's only room for about five people on the ground floor Their few cask beers hold little interest but there's loads to choose from in keg including Verdant, Only with Love and two from Melton's Round Corner. So sessionable stuff but by no means do they go for the known breweries. And there's plenty from the North, Midlands and South of England as well as some dandy treats from the Continent. And my word it is toasty warm on a wet November afternoon. I hate to think what their heating bills are like, especially as they are only just on the dear side (and not fainting when you see the price dear). Do it. Do it. Do it.“ |
| 64 /100 Eagle & Child, York (Bar) 9 HIGH PETERGATE, “Maybe I’m being too harsh on the pub but I hate being served a pint when I asked for a half, especially at these prices. Decent if unremarkable atmosphere, friendly if inattentive service. Good beer range really, with a few Leeds basics on cask with a couple guests, and quite a few goodies on keg. Northern Monk, Cameron’s, Three Brothers and Vocation are all available. So local-ish and safe breweries, but I can’t complain about the quality of what’s on offer. I’ve been to more expensive pubs but this is on the dear side. Can be skipped.“ |
| 78 /100 Maltings (Bar) TANNERS MOAT “If you’re headed to York Minster from the railway station you may pass this pub (or you may wish to come in). I recommend the latter. It has a wonderful, lived-in but cared-for feel, with tiled flooring and It’s a Black Sheep pub, but don’t let that put you off, the beer list is amazing if on the small side. Options such as Rooster, Shiny, Thornbridge and Wild Beer on cask and keg, with some further can/bottle choice in a fridge behind the bar. I’m enjoying the Black Sheep imperial stout before noon (did I mention they open at 11 most days)? Very, very, very good value. Don’t miss it.“ |
| 66 /100 Olde Starre Inne (Bar) 40 STONEGATE, “Visited Januar 2013 on The Jorvik Trail.“ |
| 64 /100 Blue Bell (Bar) 53 FOSSGATE “Visited Januar 2013 on The Jorvik Trail.“ |
| 80 /100 York Tap (Bar) TEA ROOM SQUARE, STATION ROAD “Visited Many times. Januar 2013,“ |
| 68 /100 19 LAWRENCE STREET “Visited Januar 2013 on the Jorvik Trail.“ |
| 78 /100 Pivni (Bar) 6 PATRICK POOL “Visited Januar 2013 on The Jorvik Trail.“ |
| 82 /100 48 STONEGATE “Re-Rate. Visited in 2014 and didn't have the best experience (food order was forgotten) but 8 years later we've returned and got a much better impression of the place. Ok so we didn't eat this time but we did sit on a table outside taking in the midday sun with a couple of thirds.
It's ideally situated in the very centre of the touristic part of York, so if you're wandering about you'll likely walk past it at some point. Downstairs has two rooms dedicated to beer, cider and some wine. Upstairs is the restaurant with stuffed animals and a bar. Quite a sizeable range of beers, mostly modern styles and breweries. Some refrigerated. On our visit the guys behind the counter were listening to an array of apocalyptic doom ala Old Man Gloom, Fudge Tunnel and Melvins which we very much approved of. I don't think any visit to York is complete without a visit here.“ |
| 60 /100 Three Legged Mare (Bar) 15 HIGH PETERGATE “Popped in for a quick half whilst walking around York. Has a good array of cask focussed on regional breweries, with lots of Black Sheep, some keg and a few box ciders. Barman did an eye roll when I asked if he did thirds, as I was going to get a flight of 3, but decided on the one half as this seemed to be a burden.“ |
| 76 /100 Brew York Beer Hall (Bar) UNIT 5, ENTERPRISE COMPLEX, WALMGATE “A short walk outside the main City centre (kind of hidden away in fact) is the Brew York brewery, though once you do arrive the Brew York branding is projected loud and clear on banners and signage. It's in an old warehouse, with much of the old building charm still in tact.
You enter straight into a merchandise area, with the beer hall upstairs in what seems like an old school hall with tall ceiling. At the back of the room is a beer festival style bar with Brew York banner and four Untappd TV screens displaying the 40 tap lines. Does seem an excessive amount of beer taps, especially for a bar not in the centre. All Brew York apart from maybe 3 or 4 regional / collabs with one Brew York-branded cider. We got a flight of thirds and ordered some food from the Korean place adjacent and sat outside. Food was brought to us fairly quickly.. pretty good, decent size portions and beer nice and fresh. Liked the outside seating, though its a kind of courtyard surrounded by the industrial buildings with no view as such. Would definitely visit again.“ |
| 48 /100 Postern Gate (JDW) (Bar) 90 PICCADILLY “Wetherspoons bar on the river side in york. Standard Wetherspoons that was very busy on my visit.“ |
| 74 /100 Market Cat (Bar) 6 JUBBERGATE “Thornbridge bar in the centre of york. Visited on a stag weekend in york. Plenty of Thornbridge beer on tap. Open plan bar area.“ |
| 86 /100 Trembling Madness Drinks Shop (Beer Store) 48 STONEGATE “Review of online shop. Used in April 2022 to make up a selection of unusual sour beers for a birthday present (sadly not for me!). Great range of craft beers, also a small selection of ciders and meads. There are better online retailers if you're looking for new regions, countries or styles, but for top-end craft beers (both UK and other countries) this is definitely one of the premier options (they seem particularly good for sour styles). They get new releases in very quickly and regularly so even the most dedicated ticker will be guaranteed to find new stuff here. Delivery was exceptionally quick (24 hours) and the beers were well packaged in wholly recyclable material. My only criticism would be that the website is a little bit old fashioned and clunky - unlike other online retailers there doesn't seem to be a way to list "all beers" and then filter them as you wish, instead there's buttons for "American beers", "Sour beers" etc which don't cover all the different options you may want. That aside, HOTM seem to be up there with the very best online retailers and I would definitely use them again.“ |
| 80 /100 Valhalla York (Bar) 4 PATRICK POOL “This place probably has the best ambiance I've ever had a chance to experience. Brick walls, dark, candles, proper viking hall atmosphere. Selection might not be the best, some very generic lager/cider lines and couple of local ales on cask. But definitely worth a visit for the interior. Very aware it is a tourist trap but hell, I like everything viking.“ |
| 76 /100 Outpost (Bar) SPARK, 17 PICADILLY “Spark as a concept seems like a great idea, reminded me of Hatch in Manchester. Lots of food vendors and different bars. Picadilly Tap had few lines and two fridges of canned beers.“ |
| 90 /100 14 LENDAL “This... They just know how to put up an amazing pub. This one is very different from the old Trembling Madness bar, it's muuuch more bigger, three stories high, with two massive bars and enough rooms to get lost trying to find your mates. Proper man cave atmosphere in some of them as well. Anyway, always (been three times so far) amazing selection on both bars. There's some food/sweets downstairs I've not tried yet. Bar snacks? We asked for some pork cracklings and got a massive bawl of super hot ones. This place is a museum, you could just wander around and just enjoy the decor.“ |
| 72 /100 Brew York Beer Hall (Bar) UNIT 5, ENTERPRISE COMPLEX, WALMGATE “Service was always good. Selection seems crazy, massive amount of taps (40?), but it's always only Brew York beers on. I do like the brewery in general, just think they could refresh their offer with at least a few of the guest lines. The place also have no soul, it's just a massive hall (appropriate name for it) and the food last time I've went was disappointing; both the ramen and chicken katsu curry.“ |
| 90 /100 48 STONEGATE “This is absolute gem! Tiny place with just a few tables, amazing ambiance, just feel so cozy and have this mountain lodge vibe. There's always something nice on. It's literally one of my favourite places ever, and I mean in general, not only in York.“ |
| 88 /100 Trembling Madness Drinks Shop (Beer Store) 48 STONEGATE “This is THE place in York. Tiny little shop with crazy good selection of not only beers but the spirits as well. In fact, beer selection is always so good I placed the order online couple of times too. You can also grab a can and drink it outside. Amazing place!“ |
| 66 /100 York Tap (Bar) TEA ROOM SQUARE, STATION ROAD “Traditional pub vibe, but it seems more dirty than I've used to. I've been there on couple of occasions and tables were dirty, sticky with spilled beer. Big area with average selection. Good if you're waiting your train, not worth it otherwise.“ |
| 64 /100 North South Coffee Shop and Bar (Restaurant) 25 BOOTHAM “Coffee shop - come cafe - cum restaurant - cum bar. Full of families during the day one busy Saturday recently. Table service only. Four taps pouring plus there a selection of cans available also. The cheese toasties looked to die for.“ |
| 76 /100 York Tap (Bar) TEA ROOM SQUARE, STATION ROAD “Railway station opulent, friendly and comfortable, the York Tap rivals the best of the railway station pubs. Seven beers on cask with a few on keg. Breweries include ORA, Kirkstall, Triple Point, Thornbridge and Cromarty. A good place to go while waiting for a train, but the atmosphere makes it so much more. Recommended if you find yourself in York.“ |
| 64 /100 MERCHANT EXCHANGE, 1 BRIDGE STREET “There comes a time in every pub crawl where you morph from the early afternoon quiet drinkers to the party pub atmosphere. I hit the Tank & Paddle at just the wrong time, with the hen dos, lads' nights out and what not. Having said this it was still a lovely place to be with wonderful service and a decent atmosphere. The beer leaves a little to be desired - Stonegate pubs favour 'safe' and sessionable craft. Then again the Tank & Paddle has a few more taps than most Dtonegate pubs so they can push the boat out that little bit more. I enjoyed a couple of beers from Brew York and Top Rope. Certainly worth a look. Maybe earlier in the evening. Expensive.“ |
| 78 /100 14 LENDAL “Lovely little craft beer place which perhaps suffers a bit from lack of space. It feels more like a craft beer service point than a bar but perhaps that's down to the increased footfall today. It is impossible to fault the selection with the likes of Struise, Kernel, Overtone and Three Hills on draught. It's a craft beer bar for craft beer people. If you know you know and while that sounds exclusionary it adds to the atmosphere a bit. Recommended.“ |
| 64 /100 Artful Dodger (Bar) 47 MICKLEGATE “I can't really figure this place out. Definitely a rock pub from the piped music, with a limited but decent beer selection (3 beers on keg pkus about 4 craft cans). I went for a 440 can from Turning Point which at £5 seemed reasonable. Maybe the least enticing of the pubs in my York crawl so far but to be honest I still could probably spend all day here. Its got a decent vibe in a way and the beer is good enough.“ |
| 76 /100 Brewdog York (Bar) 130-134 MICKLEGATE “A bit of an odd BrewDog: they are still doing table service in April 2022 although this may have more to do with the traffic (well-attended on Saturday afternoon) than any lingering pandemic protocols. Well it's got the typical warehouse feel rather than the typical cyborg post-dystopian feel. A bit grungy but I can live with that. The tap list made up for it: it's exceptional for BrewDog with some wonderful guests alongside some interesting BrewDog beers. Expensive even for the chain but maybe just about worth it. So many good pubs in York but it's worth putting your head in here to see what they've got.“ |
| 68 /100 Micklegate Social (Bar) 148 MICKLEGATE “A bit of a trendy place within spitting distance of the City Wall. It's more coffeehouse than bar, but the Micklegate Social certainly has a few beers on. When I came in I was surprised by the amount of taps that were off, but there were still quite a few to choose from including beers from Wander Beyond, Vault City and Lost & Grounded. Plus a cask from Kirkstall. And the prices are surprisingly reasonable. Worth a stop but not a destination really.“ |
| 70 /100 Golden Ball (Bar) 2 CROMWELL ROAD “Pleasant and friendly multi-roomed pub. On an early Saturday afternoon even with quite a few customers I found it easy to squirrel into a corner of one of the back rooms and disappear into relative oblivion. The beer list isn't all that exciting: pretty much cask only will be of interest here, and you may only find two or three ticks. It's still a very decent boozer to spend some time in and try local-ish breweries such as Bad Seed and Ainsty. Cheaper than most bars in the area.“ |
| 76 /100 Swan Inn, York (Bar) 16 BISHOPGATE STREET “Ooooh. It's a good sign when you know you're going to like a place before you have a sip of beer. Old-fashioned multi-roomed pub with a small bar (but plenty of beer). Seven cask and four keg beers which tend toward the sessionable although there are a couple of mid-strength beers available. The great and good of Yorkshire are represented in cask (Tetley, Settle, Roosters, North Riding) and keg (Kirkstall and Brass Castle although there's also a Siren, which seems practically French in its southernness up here). I had a stout from Roosters and the condition was exemplary. Another pub where I could stay all day.“ |
