skip nav  
 


North Yorkshire pub and bar guide

Here's a guide to the pubs and bars of North Yorkshire - good or bad, we bring you the most talked about venues and the places you have to visit at least once. We've included a few user reviews, to give you an idea of what to expect when you get there. Or you can follow the links to see full details and all reviews for each pub.

The One Eyed Rat, Ripon

picture of The One Eyed Rat, Ripon

Address: 51 Allhallowgate, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 1LQ
Phone: 01765 607704
See full pub details


Reviews by BITE users:

As a former resident of this lovely town, it was an absolute joy to revisit and find that The Rat remains an absolutely class act. Superb range of ales, cosy and welcoming interior, pleasant locals and friendly staff. Go!!
30 May 2016 15:01
A re-visit to a pub I thoroughly liked when I first came here a few months back. That visit was on a Monday evening and the pub was fairly empty, on my return at 10pm on a Friday (end of January) it was packed with barely a seat available.

6 ales on the hand pumps, my couple of pints of Saltaire Blonde were very good.
I really like this pub, the chaps behind the bar are chatty but not intrusive, the locals are all extremely friendly, especially the couple of chaps that we’re playing the piano while a young lady sang, which was very pleasant and rounded the evening off nicely.

Pleasant décor and very ale and good quality lager orientated, just like my last visit I score the one eyed rat highly.
18 Feb 2016 13:28
My 3rd pub tick of a flying visit to Ripon with the wife on a Monday afternoon. We arrived here just after 6pm, not that busy but the chatter was lively.

7 ales on the pumps available, all ales were light in colour with the exception of the porter from Hop Studio. In addition there are 2 real ciders and a few top quality lagers. My choice of Phoenix’s Flash Flood @ 4.1%, which was very good.

Narrow frontage opens up into a long thin pub with a large open seating area to the rear with a piano. In the front seating area a real fire was burning and added to the relaxed atmosphere.

The landlord was chatting to several locals at the bar. The One Eyed Rat has been in the GBG for over 20 years and in my opinion (from this one visit) guarantees you a friendly welcome along with cracking ales and no quiz or fruit machines or televisions.

Another must visit pub if you haven’t been already.
15 Dec 2015 08:59

The Phoenix, York

picture of The Phoenix, York

Address: 75 George Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9PT
Phone: 01904 656401
See full pub details


Nearest train stations: York (0.8 miles), Poppleton (3.6 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

This was our last pub of the weekend and time for a revisit to one of the wife’s favourites.

We arrived just as the live music in the back room was about to start so we sat in the front sung area & chatted to the barman.

4 ales on the pumps, I had a couple of pints of Ridgeside Brewing Co’s Roosevelt @ 4.5% and Timothy Taylor’s Landlord which were both on fine form.

The music was lively, entertaining & not to loud or intrusive from where we were sat.

We whiled away a few hours chatting to the locals & enjoying our beers in this quality pub, another one for the will return to list…which is growing!
10 May 2016 13:26
Second visit to this pub - well third actually, but the first time it had closed down. I don't remember too much about my previous visit, apart from the fact it was very quiet. On Saturday evening, there were more people in and there was a much better atmosphere. We sat in the back room and chatted with both the locals and staff. The ale range is good - Hop Studio Mokaya, Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, Slaters Rye IPA & Wold Top Bitter. Cider was The Hogfather. The Mokaya was certainly very spicy. But all credit to the barmaid. She did warn me and offered a sample first. This pub is definitely growing on me.
3 Mar 2016 21:28
Excellent Pub tucked away behind the city wall. Front public bar with wooden floors etc looked original. Rear of the pub had a band on and was lit by candles on the tables. Good bar staff,Wold top Brewery Wold way £3.00 was a good pint.
19 Aug 2015 20:47

The Black Horse Vaults, Whitby

picture of The Black Horse Vaults, Whitby

Address: 91 Church Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4BH
Phone: 01947 602906
See full pub details


Nearest train stations: Whitby (0.3 miles), Ruswarp (1.4 miles), Sleights (3 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

The best pub in Whitby ,small, friendly and unpretentious ,the layout seems to automatically include everyone in the conversation .
3 May 2016 17:59
Great pub, small and friendly. Great pub for a natter. Kind of place where you are included in the conversation as soon as you walk in.
8 Mar 2016 12:22
The 5th and final pub I needed to tick from the 2015 GBG in Whitby.

A very friendly little 2 roomed 2 bar pub with a courtyard to the left as you enter. The back room has a very nice stain glass window with the words 'Black Horse Vaults'.

Both rooms are adorned with pictures of the local area, while the front has an interesting light hanging from the ceiling.

3 guest ales and 2 regulars on cask, both of the regulars from Tetley's. I opted for a guest which was Robinson's Wizard @ 3.7%, a very nicely kept pint.

Friendly barmaid, quaint décor, good beer .... this pub scores 8/10 for me.
4 Aug 2015 17:31

Royal Oak, Ripon

picture of Royal Oak, Ripon

Address: Kirkgate, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 1PB
Phone: 01765602284
See full pub details


Reviews by BITE users:

Another visit to Ripon with the wife and I staying at the Royal Oak on the Thursday before Easter, we arrived at 9.30pm so had time for several drinks before it closed at 11pm.

On arrival it was very busy, several couples, a group of girls but mainly blokes.

Like my previous visit’s here the ales are excellent, on this visit I tucked into several very good pints of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord. Other ales available were Golden Best, Ramtam, Boltmaker and Saltaire Blonde.

Cracking pub and I can highly recommend the full English breakfast we had the following morning.
11 Apr 2016 16:14
Another re-tick for me after dinner at the local Italian restaurant on a Saturday evening in late January. We arrived here at 11pm for a couple of drinks as I knew it was open to midnight.

Older crowd in here than the Unicorn around the corner, it was about a 3rd full with most of the tables and chairs taken up by groups or couples, food had stopped being served so the restaurant part was empty.

Timothy Taylor's Golden Best was again in excellent form just like on my previous visit.

I’m due to be back in Ripon in March and we are planning on staying here next time as they have rooms.

The Royal Oak is another cracking pub in Ripon, great little City with friendly locals and good pubs.
22 Feb 2016 13:53
Timothy Taylor pub just off the Market Square.

4 Timothy Taylor ales on the pumps, which were Landlord, Ram Tam, Boltmaker and my choice Golden Best @ 3.5%. The 5th ale available was Saltaire Blonde.

2 seating areas at the top of the stairs as you enter the pub with the U shaped bar to your right. Light and airy inside with lots of trendy lights hanging from the ceilings. The walls are painted a different colour in each room, while hanging on each wall are pictures, drawings and photos all in gold frames, this adds a warm decorative feel to the 2 large rooms. To the rear is a large dining room with an open fireplace.

Music playing softly, a couple of locals chatting to the barmaids at the bar, not that busy on my visit but still a very nice pub
14 Dec 2015 10:11

Unicorn Hotel, Ripon

picture of Unicorn Hotel, Ripon

Address: Market Place East, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 1BP
Phone: 01765602202
See full pub details


Reviews by BITE users:

Another re-tick for me while in Ripon, this was my 3rd visit since last November. The wife and I arrived around 11.45pm on the Thursday before Easter and it was pretty busy….not surprising as it was bank holiday.

The Wetherspoon’s real ale festival was on with 5 of the pumps given over to festival ales, my pints of Greene King Benjamin & Hyde's Bruges were good with the Benjamin being particularly decent, it went done well.

With the pub open to 1am the clientele was mixed and very friendly. We wiled away a couple of hours here chatting and drinking after a particularly long drive up from London.

I know it’s a ‘spoons but I do like The Unicorn.
12 Apr 2016 10:19
Lezford was lucky to find a choice of ales in January. In mid February there were the standard Spoons nationals and Black Sheep Golden. This seems to be the case in Weatherspoons in their outlets in North West Yorkshire. For a nearby choice of 3 changing Yorkshire real ales try the new Wilfreds bar but it doesn't open until 4pm.
21 Feb 2016 09:40
The wife and I stayed here for 2 nights in late January and was very surprised with the quality and size of the hotel room and en suite bathroom.

The downstairs bar area of this hotel / pub looks like it may need a bit of touching up but the rooms upstairs are off a high standard.

Being a ‘spoons there is a good choice of ales which was better on this visit than the one I made at the end of November, during my various visits to the bar over my 2 night stay I drank Daleside Bitter @ 3.7% & Moorhouses Pride of Pendle @ 4.1%, both good well kept ales and at a cheap price.

On all my visit to the bar the service was quick and attentive.

Busy at all times but especially busy between 10am and 12 noon for breakfast and lunch. The bar closes at midnight but as a resident you are allowed to take drinks to your room which is a bonus.

Decent ‘spoons, good ales and the hotel part is excellent value for money.
18 Feb 2016 13:41

The Big Angel, Whitby

picture of The Big Angel, Whitby

Address: New Quay Rd, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1DH
Phone: 01947 602943
See full pub details


Nearest train stations: Whitby (0.1 miles), Ruswarp (1.2 miles), Sleights (2.8 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

WETHERSPOONS reopened a derelict eyesore in Whitby a good selection of real ales and the usual decent quality food what's not to like
3 May 2016 17:55
A souless wetherspoons that looks more like a posh fish and chip restaurant. Beer is good tho.
20 Apr 2016 20:06
As others have said, now The Angel, a JD Wetherspoon pub.

First impressions - a smart looking pub, though unnervingly quiet downstairs considering the number of people in. Seemed a bit soulless. There is a second bar upstairs with more seating and the same ales are available on both bars.

I spotted Greene King IPA, Doom Bar, Columbian Creek (Osset Brewery) 3.8% and Jorvik Blonde 3.8%. Two local Whitby ales were "coming soon" - a shame, as I would have liked to have sampled them.

I went for the Columbian Creek at £2.65 for the pint - expensive for a Spoons but still on the cheap side. A pleasant pint. Service downstairs seemed very slow so I tried the upstairs bar which was running a bit better at the time of my visit.
8 Feb 2016 15:03

More information

Want to find out more about pubs in North Yorkshire? Why not have a look at our advanced pub search or full text pub search? You might also want to browse pubs by county or region. Or have some fun with the random pub crawl generator.