Latest reviews from Leicester
| 60 /100 Corn Exchange (JDW) (Bar) 1 CORN EXCHANGE, MARKET PLACE, “A well-kept, airy, and spacious two-floor Spoons located at the Leicester market place. 10 hand-pumps served from a four sided island bar. Polite service, clean toilets, and decent food, traditional breakfast for £5.41, good value. Visited with Finn as our last place on our beer and pub study tour to England in March -24. (Leicester, 26.03.2024).“ |
| 64 /100 Tønne (Bar) 1-3 ST MARTINS WALK “12 taps with beers and ciders. 1/3 pint options. Modern main room with a comfortable patio in front of the entrance. Seems to have a Scandinavian connection with words like Tønne, Hygge, and Damer written on the door to the ladies room - and beers from To Øl on offer. Attentive service. In friendly company with jjsint and Finn. (Leicester, 25.03.2024).“ |
| 60 /100 Globe (Everards) (Bar) 43 SILVER STREET, “Corner place, classic English pub with a few cozy snugs, and a half-moon bar serving different parts of the pub. Supposed to be the Everards flagship in Leicester. Seven cask ales, some of them overlapping each other. Polite service. In friendly company with jjsint and Finn. (25.03.2024).“ |
| 60 /100 Corn Exchange (JDW) (Bar) 1 CORN EXCHANGE, MARKET PLACE, “Well kept spacy ´spoons. Normal beer selection.“ |
| 64 /100 Tønne (Bar) 1-3 ST MARTINS WALK “Modern cafepub with 9 beers on tap. No casks.“ |
| 66 /100 Tønne (Bar) 1-3 ST MARTINS WALK “Writing this as a flying visit as it opens late, 4pm on a Friday, it took me a while to find, the address would be better as Cank Street and it's a bit of a walk back to the station. It's a bar, not overly comfortable, all keg which is a bit ironic as Tønne means barrel. I didn't really take to it but as I say it was a real flying visit. Very few others in there.“ |
| 34 /100 Sommar Leicester (Bar) 6 HOTEL STREET “Got to be careful here but I have to say it, this was the least welcoming bar I have ever been in, I don't think they wanted me in there and I was the only paying customer on a Friday afternoon. It has the slightly weird feel of their bar on Waterloo Street in Birmingham. The beer board was totally out of sync with what was available and you couldn't read the tap tags behind the bar. My one and only visit here.“ |
| 68 /100 34 RUTLAND STREET “Rambling pub just up from the Ale Wagon, not too far from the Railway Station. It was pretty much deserted on a Friday afternoon, the bored bar girl was quick to finally serve a customer. The lack of people destroyed any atmosphere, they must have all been in the Ale Wagon. I couldn't wonder around either as the further reaches had been sectioned off for a comedy festival happening later that day. There were 3 cask beers available along with a range of keg. Lots of seating around the front. It is a must visit on a Leicester tour but I hope you find more people in there.“ |
| 78 /100 Ale Wagon (Bar) 27 RUTLAND STREET, “I think I last visited this pub in 2004 and hadn't bothered since as I remember it to be dowdy, dull and slightly dismal in character but as I was passing it on the way to the Real Ale Classroom I thought I would pop in and boy, I'm glad I did. So much brighter and cleaner now with a bar full of hand pulls in use. It had the best atmosphere of any pub I visited in Leicester on the day, everyone seemingly in a jolly mood. I won't hesitate in the future if it stays like this.“ |
| 76 /100 Two-Tailed Lion (Bar) 22 MILLSTONE LANE “This was a new to me bar as I hadn't been to Leicester since 2017. Long and narrow downstairs, there may be more room upstairs. There is a longish bar on the left as you go through with seating to the front and right of the room plus seating at the back. There are 3 hand pulls plus around 6 keg taps on the wall behind the bar. It's a bit hushed, library like in here, certainly on my visit, keen service. A must visit when in Leicester I would think.“ |
| 76 /100 34 RUTLAND STREET “Our fifth and final pub / bar of the day in Leicester. Visited about 17.30 and enjoyed a couple of pints of a cask ESB style beer which was served in good condition. Recommended“ |
| 64 /100 Tønne (Bar) 1-3 ST MARTINS WALK “Interesting addition to the local scene. More a bar than a pub, and with a large selection of keg on tap, and cans & bottles in their fridges. However there was not a great deal in the beer range that especially appealed to me. I eventually settled on a UK brewed Maerzen style beer, which was decent & to type.“ |
| 72 /100 Two-Tailed Lion (Bar) 22 MILLSTONE LANE “Visited 13/12/23 at about 2,00 pm. Quite a small venue downstairs for the casual visitor. Reasonable selection of beers, and these were well kept / in good condition on our visit.“ |
| 90 /100 Blue Boar (Bar) 6 MILLSTONE LANE “Visited 13/12/23. Micropub with an excellent range of well kept beers. Our visit was shortly after 1,00 pm on a Wednesday lunchtime, and the place was rightly full. my favourite of the 5 pubs which we visited.“ |
| 74 /100 King’s Head (Bar) 36 KING STREET, “First pub of the day on a "tour" of Leicester. Good selection of cask beers mostly from smaller breweries, and including a number of their own Black Country Ales beers. Apparently very popular when Leicester Tigers rugby team are at home.“ |
| 50 /100 O’Neills (Bar) 16-20 LOSEBY LANE, “A wee bit surprised to find this in RB. It says something that I've lived here for over 6 years & never been here until now. I mean, it's an O'Neills. A surprisingly good and friendly one but still has that loud city centre chain pub vibe. Beers are (surprisingly good) Guinness, some Camden, Beav, BrewDog staples. Not a beer pub though. Decent live acts sometimes.“ |
| 80 /100 34 RUTLAND STREET “New city centre expression of the popular Lutterworth and Stoneygate pubs. They're onto a winning formula, and their new venue tucked down the Cultural Quarter is a great addition. I'm here less than a week after their opening and I feel like they are still finding their feet, so a later rating may be eminent. There's only one cask on but the seven keg offerings are a little more adventurous, including a Three Hills imperial stout which is in my top 5 beers of the year. It is popular and friendly without getting quite as crowded as the Stoneygate pub, although maybe it's missing the homeliness of its southern cousin. Plus it is spitting distance from the Ale Wagon so you can sort yourself out a tidy little mini pub crawl. What a lucky guy I am to live in Leicester.“ |
| 20 /100 Barley Mow (Everards) (Bar) 149 GRANBY STREET “Visited February 2023.
Probablemente un dos bares nos que máis a disgusto me sentín. A camareira debía ser a moza dun dos clientes que había por alí, un rapaz que tiña pinta de ser o malote da zona. A clientela do local eran os seus colegas. Tomei unha cervexa esperando a que abrise o Parcel Yard, para poder probar a Steamin Billy (tickers gonna tick) e ao final acabei marchando antes de tempo e preferín agardar na rúa. A cervexa tampouco axudou, a peor cask ale da viaxe sen ningunha dúbida. Lamentable.
Next one please!“ |
| 74 /100 Blue Boar (Bar) 6 MILLSTONE LANE “Visited February 2023.
Aínda que en internet estaba anunciado que o bar abría ás 11:00h, tiven que agardar ata as 12:00h. No propio bar, as horas de apertura sí estaban correctas. Unha vez dentro, o local moi ben decorado, sen música e cun ambiente agradable a pesar de ser os primeiros clientes. A atención da camareira moi boa, en todo momento recomendando cervexas locais, aínda que non tiñan nada do condado de Leicester sí que foi útil á hora de facer a miña seleción. Boa variedade de cervexa e todas en boas condicións. Este sí que sería un sitio que repetiría de boa gana, e gustaríame telo visitado noutro horario e con máis calma.
Next one please!“ |
| 56 /100 Ale Wagon (Bar) 27 RUTLAND STREET, “Visited February 2023.
Peculiar sitio para comezar o día cunha cask. O local fai esquina dunha rúa concurrida, moi preto do centro de Leicester. É un local que transmite vellez tanto nas mesas, bancos, barra, ambiente...coma nos baños...por sorte, cando fun eu só había dous clientes máis e o señor que atendía a barra serviu con bastante dilixencia. Aínda que estaba claro que eu era o forasteiro e os outros dous eran clientes habituais. Tomei tres cervexas e aínda que estiven cómodo, non sería un bar ao que voltaría.
Next one please!“ |
| 52 /100 High Cross (JDW) (Bar) 103-105 HIGH STREET, “Visited February 2023.
Almorzando mentras esperaba a que abrisen os pubs realmente interesantes de Leicester. O sitio non está mal para tomar unha pinta e a decoración eu diría que é ata interesante...polo demáis un JDW máis...con todo o que iso implica.
Next one please!“ |
| 74 /100 Tønne (Bar) 1-3 ST MARTINS WALK “Visited February 2023.
Visitado a unhas horas un pouco intempestivas para os ingleses, supoño. Este bar estaba aberto ata un pouco máis tarde que os demáis así que decidín facer unha visita antes de ir durmir. E foi unha boa decisión. Música rock e unha boa variedade de cervexas tanto locais coma europeas.
Next one please!“ |
| 66 /100 Bowling Green (Bar) 44 OXFORD STREET “Visited February 2016.“ |
| 70 /100 Martin Bros. Micropizzeria (Restaurant) 117 CLARENDON PARK ROAD “A rather small, modern pizzeria with ten craft beers on the taps. Beer flight options with four thirds in each flight. A little patio in front of the place. Friendly and helpful service. Excellent music in the back during my stay; from Clash, Simple Minds, Pet Shop Boys, and Pretenders. Opens early. Quite expensive beers. Located within walking distance from the train station through Victoria Park, about 20 minutes or so. (Visited with Frau Eva, 12.07.2022).“ |
| 74 /100 Sommar Leicester (Bar) 6 HOTEL STREET “Central located craft beer bar that opened in early July 2022. Modern corner place with neon lights and colourful furniture. Outdoor seating in front of the place. 22 beers on tap, seven of them from Sommar Brew Co at my stay. The keg beers can be bought in 1/3 pints. More canned craft beers in a fridge to the left of the bar. Friendly service. Clean and comfortable toilet facilities. Meet-up with jjsint. (Visited 10th and 11th July 2022).“ |
| 60 /100 Clarendon (Bar) 7-9 WEST AVENUE, “A traditional and popular brown English pub with a rather large bier garden to the rear. Wooden interiors, bric-a-brac decorations. We came here for food and had some delicious Greek salads. Ten cask ales with well known English ales, like Proper Job, London Pride, Ghost Ship - in fact, all of them known to me. My Fullers London Pride was served in fine condition. Polite service. (Visited 09.07.2022).“ |
| 76 /100 Offie (Beer Store) 142 CLARENDON PARK ROAD “A well established little beer shop located in the the residential area of Clarendon Park in Leicester. Well stocked with both craft beers and more traditional British ales. Large foreign selection as well. Has got a separate shelf for regional beers from Leicestershire. Fair prices. Friendly and informative service telling me about beer drinking destinations in the neighbourhood. Late on I visited both the Micropizzeria and The Clarendon Inn. Offie is located not far from the edge of Victoria Park. I had a very nice walk for about 25 minutes from the train station, down Waterloo Way, into New Walk and right through Victoria Park. (Visited 09.07.2022).“ |
| 82 /100 Sommar Leicester (Bar) 6 HOTEL STREET “Wow. This is an interesting place. First thing I notice: it's small, and being in the drinking quarter of Leicester likely means it'll get rammed on weekends. Some odd decor inside (a portrait of a fox in Jacobean clothing for instance) but it adds to the fun of the place. The beer is something to behold: 22 keg taps (with about 18 worth bothering with, split half and half Sommar and guests). Sommar's beers have never excited me all that much but they're solid, and it's nice to get a chance to try some more of their beers. The guest list is fantastic, from the great names in UK brewing (Pomona Island, DEYA, Verdant) to lesser-known breweries and even our local Mill Hill. They are still finding their feet, but I've got very high hopes for this place.“ |
| 80 /100 Martin Bros. Micropizzeria (Restaurant) 117 CLARENDON PARK ROAD “Martin Bros. Used to have a residency with the Two-Tailed Lion (q.v.) but now they've got their own place just off Queens Road and in the neighbourhood of the Offie and the Queens Road Tap (also q.v.). It's definitely a restaurant; although you are allowed to drink in, it's pretty small and everyone else is eating. They Are currently doing drink in only Sunday 12-5. And their pizzas are very good, with catchy names such as Napolian Dynamite and One More Courgetto. The beer list. Oh my God. 10 kegs with the likes of North, Ārpus, Basqueland, Arbor and BBNo. They lean toward pales but there's a sour and a kellerbier in the lineup, with beers going from sessionable to imperial. Very recommended.“ |
| 88 /100 Two-Tailed Lion (Bar) 22 MILLSTONE LANE “Worth the trip. Tiny place, but excellent selection of taps. Very faint and comfy, outlets available for charging your devices. Untappd tapboard, some bottles. 3 cask. A real gem.“ |
| 62 /100 Gadabout (Bar) 10 GUILDHALL LN “If you've been around Leicester long enough to remember Taps, it's where Taps used to be. Lovely old building (1685) renovated but not completely unsympathetically in a posh part of the city. Describes itself as a cocktail bar but they've got a few good beers, no cask but a couple of ABK on draught and a few bottles (occasionally something unusual). Not the most beery pub but may be worth stopping to see what's available.“ |
| 64 /100 Wygston's House (Bar) 12 APPLEGATE “Not far from the Cathedral on the very western edges of the city centre, Wygston's House is apparently the oldest house in Leicester now converted into a pub. I've been here many times but not yet rated it. Inside it's very staid with a touch of almost stage-managed quirky, but it works for me. Right now it is outside only but the beer garden is exceptionally large and certainly pleasant. They operate largely as a restaurant but drinkers are always welcome. Usually four cask ales on plus a keg like Clwb Tropica. The cask tends toward the local, with a fair bit of Charnwood- nothing too exciting for us locals but visitors should get ticks. They are also carrying West End's Car Park King while that brewpub is closed. On the expensive side but that's typical for the area.“ |
| 58 /100 Exchange (Bar) 50 RUTLAND STREET “The Exchange is one of a few pubs in Leicester's Cultural Quarter. Next to the Curve and St George's Church, it's a triangular building with a lived-in yet trendy look with some modern art on the walls. The clientele is young - if you're in your 40s like me you'll easily be the oldest person there - and it's more of a cocktail bar than a beer bar, but the one or two handpulls they do have are usually dedicated to a local outfit such as Framework. (During COVID they've not had cask ale but Framework Jackpin is rebadged as 'Orton' on keg and they have a bottle of their Noctua porter). So it may be one for the out-of-town tourist than the local. Nonetheless, it's a wonderful place to chill for a bit, it's close to the Ale Wagon (q.v.) so can be visited for a mini pub-crawl, and they do a wonderful little menu (including breakfast, which I'm assuming will continue once we open up a little bit more). It's a bit expensive for what you get but not impossible.“ |
| 84 /100 Two-Tailed Lion (Bar) 22 MILLSTONE LANE “Small bar near the town centre. The selection was all three hill when I was there due to a tap take over. Both keg and cask offered and a small fridge selection. Friendly staff.“ |
| 72 /100 19 BUTT CLOSE LANE, “Traditional old school pub with wood and tainted glass with different seating areas. Cosy and good service. Availabilities were a good range. Good place for a pint or two.“ |
| 54 /100 Corn Exchange (JDW) (Bar) 1 CORN EXCHANGE, MARKET PLACE, “Usual JDW affair. But managers to walk round three sides before I found the door. Big square bar area with a central bar. Open plan and multi level. Slow service on a quiet Friday morning.“ |
| 76 /100 Offie (Beer Store) 142 CLARENDON PARK ROAD “Nice small beer shop with a friendly owner who keeps his small dog on the counter. We went here for Leicestershire ticks, and in that regard it was a little disappointing, but we did walk away with six new ones. They have a good selection of mostly UK craft, Belgians and Germans.“ |
| 68 /100 Two-Tailed Lion (Bar) 22 MILLSTONE LANE “Nice quirky place. Not many taps (6 taps, 4 cask), but brilliant beers that they have on. Worth the visit, got some good stuff on tap that is hard to find! Fridge for take away beers with some good stuff. Seating upstairs and downstairs.“ |
| 72 /100 Tønne (Bar) 1-3 ST MARTINS WALK “Leicester has lost a couple good beer bars in the last few weeks (Broood and Head of Steam), so the opening of a new craft beer bar was met with enthusiasm. Tønne is in St Martin's Walk, as posh as Leicester gets, although the prices aren't as astronomical as I'd have guessed. No cask, and the 7 keg taps carry both 'macro ex-craft' such as Beavertown as well as more interesting finds (Tiny Rebel, Lervig, White Hag). I missed the 3 Bean Stout they had on draught for their opening weekend but hey ho. There are also some worthy choices in the smallish bottle and can selection, and I got a decent tick from a Mexican brewery which was new to me. The beer is a bit too cold, and the selection is just that little bit too safe. However tgey seem to have the will and the knowledge to push the boat out more once the waters are tested. Here's hoping Tønne thrives.“ |
| 60 /100 Barley Mow (Everards) (Bar) 149 GRANBY STREET “Medium sized, town-centre pub with cask ales from Everards served from a L-shaped bar. The two ales I had was found to be in excellent condotions. Entertainment from two joyful canaries. Polite service. Friendly meet-up with jjsint who brought us some interesting bottled beers, many thanks. (Visited with Finn late on a Monday evening 11.02.2019).“ |
| 68 /100 Ale Wagon (Bar) 27 RUTLAND STREET, “A town-centre, street corner pub with retro, inter war interiors, and an U-shaped bar counter. Outlet for the Hoskins Brothers brewery, four of their beers available on our stay. A few more handpumps with regionally sourced ales. Polite service. Many thanks to jjsint for taking us around to some of the beer places in town. (Visited with jjsint and Finn on a Sunday evening 10.02.2019).“ |
| 72 /100 King’s Head (Bar) 36 KING STREET, “A single room, traditional British pub with a good vibe on a Sunday. The pub is an outlet for beers from Black Country, with three of their beers on cask at our stay. Furthermore, there were nine changing ales from UK breweries on cask. Likable classic pop and rock music in the back; Roy Orbinson, Free, Supremes, Kinks, Beatles among others. Friendly service. (Pub crawl in Leicester with Finn and jjsint 10.02.2019).“ |
| 76 /100 Blue Boar (Bar) 6 MILLSTONE LANE “A comfortable, four sided micropub offering ten cask ales, available in thirds. All of the beers we had were in excellent condition. Rather classic pub interiors with seating around the walls and a few timber tables in the middle. No music. Friendly service. Next door to Two-Tailed Lion. In great company with local ratebeerian jjsint. (Visited with Finn 10.02.2019).“ |
| 70 /100 Two-Tailed Lion (Bar) 22 MILLSTONE LANE “A cozy little place in a central part of town, combining a pub and bottle shop. A bar counter in the middle serving both sides of the bar. More seating upstairs. Three cask ales supported by modern craft beers on tap, and in a fridge placed at one side of the bar. Mostly beers for the UK, but also a few German and Belgian ones. We came here on a Sunday and after a busy weekend the choice of beers was rather limited, Sandwich options. Some classic Rolling Stones and Joy Division tunes in the back at our stay. Great meet-up with jjsint who showed us around to quite a few of the good beer places in Leicester. The next one, Blue Boar, was almost next door. (Visited with Finn 10.02.2019).“ |
