please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Drake is a tricky one. Great selection of ales, however not the cheapest place to drink. Good in daytime for a quiet pint with your paper. However, in the evening a more 'lively' crowd descend. Bar staff are a little slow and the pie and peas can be bought cheaper in the market. If you want to step back in time to the 1950's but pay 2008 prices then this is the place for you.
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Sadly a shadow of it's former self. The sandwiches were legend. The staff are not really committed to service or serving a good pint. Better places to drink are not too far away. OK if you need a drink and you've got your dog with you.
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THIS IS THE ONLY CITY CENTRE PUB YOU CAN TAKE YOUR DOG IN! (As the rest all do food).
They are welcomming to dogs, and have friendly staff.
It is a little pricey, not fancy in anyway. Sadly they have swapped the juke box for one of those modern computer ones that cost a £1 a tune!
Do have a good range of real ales, but only one real cider.
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Have to agree, the beer was very poor, they need to halve the amount of ales and keep the quality. I took an ale back but they claimed the beer "tastes like that". A pint of vinegar? Rubbish. Also really quite expensive. The place remains the same so lets hope we dont lose this great Leeds institution when it becomes unviable, or is that the idea?
brisk - 23 Aug 2007 13:09 |
I was in there for the first time on Saturday night and it was very quiet, although seemed much busier when I went past the following afternoon with a live band playing.
Pub itself is a classic old boozer, interior looks much as it must have done throughout the past 100 years. I tried two of the nine ales on offer, both of which were served in good nick.
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i was in the duck & drake again saturday night, and a member of staff. confirmed the pub is now up for sale, not suprising really, as they're was just 13 people in saturday night. lets hope whoever the buyer is, they can make this once great pub, rise up from the ashes again.
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To add to the 'D&D's woes, I have to agree with 'birstallblue' and 'leedspenguin'.I used to drink here regularly, some years ago, when I lived in Leeds and the Duck was THE pub for real ale in the city.
Out of curiosity I called in on a lunchtime a couple of weeks ago and was stunned by its decline.Yes, it's always been a basic pub but it used to have a vitality and buzz about it. From what I saw it looks to be dying on its arse.
I had to ask for my pint of Boon's 'Classic Blonde' to be topped up twice and when I finally tasted it, it was far from fresh. I was also disappointed by the number of ales on offer.
I also tried the nearby 'Palace' whilst in the area and found the beer far superior on my visit.If in that part of Leeds I'd recommend you do the same.
A great shame.
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to concur with the last post about this pub, for me its been poor for a couple of years now, ever changing management with no commitment to real ale. the beer standard for me is poor, i have left quite a few beers in there recently. i have been told they have sacked jim, and long time barman / cellarman shaun, is seriously considering leaving. things just cant get any worse there at the minute.
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I've been using this pub for years but sadly it is just a shadow of its former self.The range of real ales is getting smaller and the building is in desperate need of a once over without ruining the character of the place.It was also renowned for having a continuity of barstaff ie 3 of them serving 16 years plus each but that is no longer the case.Lets hope it gets back to its former glory soon.Beer still generally good and free live music excellent
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Cracking stuff - certainly the biggest range of real ales I found in Leeds. Just a pity there aren't more pubs like it in the town centre.
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Truly great pub-has remained such in the 20 odd years since I first was taken there. In today post-cricket, beers superb as always.
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A Proper Boozer, Fantastic choice of well kept Real Ales, Welcoming friendly Bar staff
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Whilst I agree with the comments regarding the beer & live music, but after returning to Leeds after 12yrs away it was a bit like visiting an old friend who is terminally ill. I love the D&D & the spirit is still there but outwardly the place is in need of some TLC especially as Leeds centre is becoming a real-ale desert.
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Great spot. Followed up recommendations from this site and the GBG 2007 and decided to meet a friend here when I was visiting Leeds for work in April 2007. Sat in the public bar. A great selection of ales on tap. I tried four of them, including a nice porter called 'Ace of Spades' from the Ossett Brewery near Wakefield. Had a very amusing conversation with a very 'jolly' bloke who explained to me how the bumble bee was the answer to the malaria pandemic in sub-Saharan African...powerful stuff. Tasty pork scratchings.
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My local in Leeds when I lived there for a year in 2006. Leeds' original ale house is still going strong. Great venue for live music, friendly bar staff and top quality real ale.
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As previous posts suggest, this is a proper pub. The beer was excellent and the staff friendly and hard-working. Not to be missed.
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It's certainly one of my favourite pubs in the centre of Leeds. Unpretentious with no frills but the beer is always excellent and the food nutritious. There's not many pubs like this left so I advise you pay a visit before it's too late!
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LUVIT!!...Been coming here off n on for 20 years & its one of the few pubs I can say that hasn`t changed!! Years ago it was an oasis in Leeds to the great Tetley desert!....Now with various brews breaking into Leeds -at various boozers- its good to see it holds its own with the variety & quality of its brews (& its back to basics image)...also handy for trhe National buses!
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A delightful oasis amongst the cafes and wine bars of Central Leeds. A basic atmosphere with great beer. The lunchtime salami sandwiches are a real treat! If you are in Leeds and you want to drink beer, rather than pose, this is the place to go!
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Has been an out post of decent beer for many years. Basic pub but good atmosphere. Look out for some interesting bands
Paul - 12 Feb 2004 13:55 |
I recomend it.Its one of the last vestiges of a proper beer drinking pub unaffected by artificial trendiness of most other pubs in town. You could go in dressed as you like, noone would bat an eyelid. its a good laugh, unpretentious and sort of down to earth. Some odd balls use the pub but that's part of its spirit. Oh yes a good array of hand pulled real ale
Louie - 18 Nov 2003 23:49 |
Buy a pint of Old Peculiar in this pub, and it is like nothing you've ever tasted before. It tastes better here than in the pub at the brewery in Masham.
The pub boasts two rooms; the smaller, to the right, is a light, old blown vinyl decorated room of tables, chairs and benches; the larger, to the left, is darker, redder, with chairs, tables, and occasionally room for a good band - everything from jazz to indie. Very, very worthwhile.
Andy - 9 Jun 2003 15:45 |
Spit & sawdust pub in the city centre. Recently sold for in excess of a million pounds, less than 100 was spent on the decor inside. Fantastic rande of top quality real ale with around five guest ales on at any one time. My mate was club captain of the pub fottie team, who are not very good. Bags of character and friendly staff, I can't reccommend this pub any higher, it's simply the best pub in central Leeds.
Nipper - 10 Jun 2002 09:11 |
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