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Oscar’s

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Oscar’s used to be situated where Stonegate Yard now resides and after a bit of a fight over naming rights (see that review for brief details), Oscar’s set up shop next door to it’s alcohol purveying sister, the Biltmore.

It was always renowned for it’s food and this doesn’t seem to have changed in the new premises, in fact, since it re-opened Oscars seems to be almost totally focused on dining. The new food serving times (’til 11pm) and dedicated waitresses (you used to have to place your orders at the bar) corroborate this notion and the shiny ‘please wait here to be seated’ sign which greets you as you enter, kindly remind anyone in any doubt.

So nowadays having a drink in Oscar’s, as thepubsofyork.com did most recently one December evening, is unfortunately a rather uncomfortable affair and whilst your portly reviewers could have possibly sat down on one of the few vacant tables rather than prop up the bar, being sat next to an army of diners happily chomping and chatting away whilst nursing a bottle of lager gives a very uneasy feeling which we imagine is similar to inadvertantly finding yourself at a Cliff Richard convention dressed as Johnny Rotten.

Although it sits outsite the reviewing remit of this website, thepubsoyork.com is pretty sure that the food served up here is very good. With this in mind, it’s worth saying that Oscars looks like a fantastic place for a group of girls to sit down to share a bowl of nachos and a bottle of wine while discussing Jude Law’s latest film.

It’s a shame that drinkers (or at least these drinkers) feel pushed out, as there are some fantastic bottled beers on offer; Vedett, Duvel, Leffe, Innis and Gunn to name but four and with Frulli fruit beer and Grolsch wheat beer as the pick of the pumps, Oscars should provide a pleasurable drinking experience. But it doesn’t and it’s not really surprising when considering the Oscar’s website only invites you to ‘pop in for a quick drink’.

If you want to pop anywhere for a quick drink, thepubsofyork.com think there are much better alternatives nearby and suggest the short walk to Pivo where you can have a beer and enjoy a meal in a bag (in the shape of a packet of crisps).


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Rating: 2.5/5 (2 votes cast)

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Vudu Lounge

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Come on, be honest, you’re probably thinking that thepubsofyork.com must have looked as out of place in the Vudu Lounge as Delboy and Rodney did when they turned up at a wake dressed as Batman and Robin in the 1996 Christmas Special of Only Fools and Horses.

The bars name may well give away that it is a cocktail bar and a favourite haunt of York’s young and beautiful people, and while thepubsofyork.com’s two authors are relatively young, they’re far from being beautiful.

It wouldn’t be right to criticise the sparse selection of draught beers, as although there is only Kronenbourg 1664, John Smiths Extra Cold and Heineken on top of the bar, to visit this place in search of a pint of beer would be sort of missing the point. The fridge is quite well stocked with Moretti, Cusquena and Desperados chilling on the shelves, but its what is on the cocktail list that makes this place what it is.

We are reliably informed that only Bobo Lobo and Evil Eye can rival this place’s in the cocktail stakes and those same people who know what they’re talking about will tell you that the bar staff here are experts at mixing a mojito and serving up a Sex on the Beach. Although if you want thepubsofyork.com’s opinion (and you probably don’t) you really shouldn’t be drinking beverages that take more than sixty seconds to serve and cost more than a Bernard Cornwell novel.

The entrance should give sufficient warning to those who may be averse to fruit based alcohol drinks. When entering Vudu Lounge (did Noddy Holder write the sign for these guys?) you trot up a broad staircase from the front door located on Swinegate and head up to the bar area, which although luxuriosuly appointed, strongly resembles a strip club (so we’re told).

The squarish main room wraps around the top of the staircase and red leather sofas flank the perimeter walls of the dimly lit room which features a DJ booth and stylish chandeliers. While this poorly written description may sound like heaven to York’s young posers, to thepubsofyork.com it reads like a warning message to not visit again.


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Rating: 1.5/5 (2 votes cast)

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York Arms

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

This pub is managed by Sam Smiths and subsequently serves up the very affordable and tasty offerings from the Tadcaster based brewery. York’s most up-to-date pub review website quite likes Sam Smiths pubs, but like the Hansom Cab, one of it’s fellow city centre siblings, the York Arms has a bit of a seedy feel to it.

Rumour has it that this place is a gay bar, and the wholly male crowd that filled the small front bar room during thepubsofyork.com’s previous visits would certainly back this up (so to speak).

There’s nothing massively awful about the pub, but the mainly brown decor feels more tired than rustic, and the crowd always seems a little rough around the edges – but like Wetherspoons, it suffers from the fact it serves cheap beer and is subsequently more likely to be frequented by those patrons who make up grade ‘E’ in the NRS social grade definitions.

It is also always hard to ignore the nagging feeling that there are many superior pubs a tiny toddle away. The Three Legged Mare and Ye Olde Starre Inne are both within a two minute walk and offer, as far as thepubsofyork.com is concerned, a more enticing ambience, a better range of beverages and an altogether superior pub experience.

One thing that the York Arms does have going for it is an extraordinary view to the left upon exiting. It sits in the shadows of York Minster, which along with Cologne Cathedral is one of the largest gothic cathedrals in Northern Europe (cheers Wikipedia) and this is one of the most stunning sights thepubsofyork.com have ever seen upon leaving a pub.

However, if your favourite part of a pub is the view it affords upon leaving then its probably not worth entering in the first place, that’d be like a football team getting itself relegated just so it can experience the euphoria of promotion.


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Rating: 2.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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1331

Monday, December 28th, 2009

1331 is York’s only bar with actual digits in its name (apart from pubs such as the Three Cranes and Three Tuns etc who are refered to in the more traditional alphabetical way).

So why this numerical moniker thepubsofyork.com hear you shout?

Surely it can’t be in honour of the battle of Plowce which was fought on the 21st of September 1331 and featured the wonderfully named Wladyslaw The Elbow-high at the head of a five thousand strong Polish army? Probably not. It is almost certainly not an affectionate nod towards a centered heptagonal number either, so thepubsfoyork.com can only assume it’s a lazy and uninspiring numerical palindrome based on it’s address of 13 Grape Lane (if you should know any difference, do get in touch). Feel free to ignore thepubsofyork.com’s lack of enthusiasm towards this bars name though and don’t assume that you should be put off visiting, because its actually not that bad.

1331 Bar and Restaraunt (to give it it’s full title) is a lively and vibrant establishment spread over three floors and as it’s Sunday name suggests, it is focussed just as much on the food it cooks as the beer it dispenses.

thepubsofyork.com can’t comment on the quality of the cuisine on offer but if it’s as good as the drinks, then it shouldn’t be too bad at all. There’s a good selection of continental bottled beers and cocktails the odd Belgian beer on tap and you can enjoy your tipple in several different rooms within the walls of 13 Grape Lane.

There’s the central courtyard which is an attractive prospect in the summer and a cosy seedy snug area just off the upstairs bar. This higher bar services another two adjacent rooms which at the weekends are filled with smiling faces and music from resident DJ’s.

Of all the places in York that thepubofyork.com don’t really venture to, this place is probably the best of the bunch. A good atmosphere and quirky interior make for an interesting visit and your thirsty pub reviewers would much rather have a pint in here or Wildes next door than many of their contemporaries.

However, 1331 has far too many young/good looking/expensively dressed people in here to make it just a bit too cool for these scruffy cats. You’re a lot more likely to find your rotund pub reviewers in a hostelry named after a member of the monarchy, an inanimate object or a bird.


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Edward Balliol (c.1283 – 1367), (a.k.a. Edward de Baliol), was intermittently King of Scotland from 1332-1336
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Rating: 3.0/5 (4 votes cast)

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Biltmore

Monday, December 28th, 2009

The Biltmore sits on Swinegate in a lovely part of central York that seems to be home to trendy hairdressers and lots of cobbles. It is close to Vudu Lounge and (the “new”) Oscars and if you know these other two bars you’ll probably think that it is more than likely that the Biltmore is an uber trendy, wine-bar style establishment … and you’d be correct.

As the bars’ website kindly tells us, the it is housed within a former Elim Pentecostal Church and this architectural good fortune means that there aren’t many more impressive venues in which to enjoy a drink in York city centre.

The space is bright and vibrant and impressive looking light fittings plunge down towards the glass fronted bar from the high ceiling – saying that though, there is a distinct lack of cubicles in the Gents toilets.

Despite the stunning decor, thepubsofyork.com isn’t really at home in this type of bar; there’s no cask ale and in place of delicious packets of Seabrooks Cheese & Onion crisps and Sky Sports the owners of the Biltmore have opted to offer it’s customers cocktails, fine wines and tasty food from the impressive looking menu.

In the face of thepubsofyork.com’s lack of complete affection for the Biltmore, it is occasionally sober enough to recognise that this place isn’t completely unworthy of a visit. Taking a girl here on a first date would probably induce a big metaphorical thumbs-up and it is no suprise that this bar finds it’s way into our “Something for the Ladies” section. In fact, if thepubsofyork.com could only recommend one bar that ladies should visit for cocktails and chats with their female friends, it would probably be this place.

Whilst it isn’t the favourite watering hole of York’s most handomes and suave pub review website there are plenty who find much to enjoy about this place. It’s striking setting and impressive drinks menu ensure that there are certain occasions that might mean that a visit here needn’t be too much of a painful experience.


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Rating: 1.7/5 (3 votes cast)

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Blue Fly

Monday, December 28th, 2009

Here are some facts about flies; there are 1,100 known species of blow flies. The housefly is the most common of all domestic flies accounting for about 90% of all flies that humans come into contact with. An adult stable fly can fly up to 70 miles from it’s breeding site. The Blue Fly cafe-bar in York is rubbish.

Sorry to be blunt, but in the same way as thepubsofyork.com can’t tell the difference between a house fly and a stable fly, the Blue Fly is totally indistinguishable from it’s trendy and equally underwhelming comrades such as Dusk (next door and slightly better) and Orgasmic (round the corner and worse).

And like many of these cafe-bars, as well as not being thepubsofyork.com’s cup of tea, Blue Fly takes on a totally different identity when the sun goes in.

Blue Fly is no different. During the day, it’s a perfectly acceptable place to have a drink or a spot of lunch if you’re with persuasive friends with their hearts set on visiting here. A bright and airy conservatory type structure houses the refreshment and light bite menu. By it’s own admission, Blue Fly changes into a lively cocktail bar at night, with a late license (until 4am on weekends) and regular DJ’s playing ’some of the best funky electro house’. Hmmm.

Blue Fly (or at least a room in Blue Fly) also caters for the geeks amongst you, for it boasts an Internet Cafe and Gaming Lounge which offers York’s Only Local Area Network gaming events. Here you can exercise your thumbs on Call of Duty 4 and Counter Strike Source on systems that are loaded with high end graphics cards and fast processing power. Apparently.

If you type the words ‘Blue’ and ‘fly’ into Google, the first website returned is a New York clothing company who are ‘a leading online retailer of designer brands, fashion trends and superior value.’ Some might argue it’s namesake in York is a leading retailer of alcohol and fun times. But not this website. And it certainly doesn’t offer superior value, it seems overpriced designer lagers are this cafe-bar’s forte.

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Rating: 2.4/5 (5 votes cast)

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Bobo Lobo

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

Bobo Lobo sits on Little Stonegate opposite the imaginatively titled Stonegate Yard and just down the road from Kennedys. It is York’s only ‘Latin American Cocktail Bar and Restaraunt’ and as such offers a unique drinking experience.

However, the pubsofyork.com is about as Latin as Sean Bean or Yorkshire Pudding, and this subsequently means that crossing the threshold of this bar (which admittedly isn’t that often) generates similar feelings to those that Juninho must have encountered when visiting Middlesbrough for the first time after he signed from Sao Paolo in 1995.

For many people, Bobo Lobo no doubt conjures up feelings of excitement and happiness which isn’t totally lost on York’s most up to date pub review website. The attractive lighting, decor and atmosphere could put a smile on even the most cantankerous of faces. Salsa classes are advertised on the  interior walls of the bar and the (somewhat predictable) large mural of Che Guevara leaves you under no illusions as to what sort of bar you’re in.

The drinks on offer, if you’re that way inclined, are impressive, with an attractive cocktail list (which rivals Evil Eye) and over 30 rums and tequilas on offer. There is also Red Stripe on tap which as far as thepubsofyork.com know (and this website should know, shouldn’t it) is the only example of this Jamaican lager beer on draught in York. Your thirsty reviewers were also pleased to see the fridge was well stocked with a varied selection and it was a delight to spy Quilmes and Cusquena.

There is nothing of interest for the real ale enthusiast but you wouldn’t expect to be able to get a pint of Brakspear Oxford Gold in Bogota now would you? And to be honest, if you only wanted to drink real ale, the facade of Bobo Lobo is sufficiently vibrant enough to send you searching for an alternative before you get anywhere near the bar (in case your wondering, the Punch Bowl is the best and nearest alternative).

Bobo Lobo is a fun, friendly and colourful bar. It serves good food, offers a good time and has a huge coffee machine that looks incredibly like a dalek. Whilst not for everyone, including (on 363 days of the year) this website, it definitely has a place in York’s drinking scene.


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Rating: 3.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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Vodka Revolution

Monday, December 21st, 2009

According to thepubsofyork.com’s dog-eared dictionary, revolution means “a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving”.

Quite why the people behind Vodka Revolution think that this bar, or indeed the vodka it sells, is a drastic change from the thousands of other places offering a similar drinking experience is beyond the wit of this website.

Everything about it, to the grumpy minds of thepubsofyork.com is stagnant, insipid and cliched; from the handsome bar-staff to the ambient music, from the black and white paisley ‘feature wall’, to the irksome ritual of being presented with a napkin underneath your drink (in fact, what the ruddy hell are you supposed to do with these things? Seriously? Do you take them with your drink and use them as a mobile coaster, or should you leave the napkin at the bar, it’s job being just to clean up the initial moist bottom? If you can help clear this up, please get in touch).

As has been mentioned many times on these pages, these sort of places just don’t float this website’s boat any longer, but that’s not to say that you will not like this incarnation. One man’s meat is another man’s poison and all that. However, thepubsofyork.com are told this is a good place to party, somewhere cool to drink, eat and be merry, and it must be said, of the Vodka Revolutions this website has had the (mis?)fortune to enter, this is one of the nicer examples.

This is mainly down to it’s location which, along with it’s bedfellows Orgasmic and Pitcher and Piano, is perched next to the river and provides fine views of some water, two bridges, the horrific looking Park Inn, some tramps sleeping in North Street gardens, the Norwich Union Aviva Offices and All Saints Church.

Incidentally, All Saints Church has some of the finest medieval stained glass in England and is well worth a visit. It also used to house a 15th century hermit whose abode (albeit a rebuilt one) at the rear of the church can still be seen (but not from the balcony of the bar).

Whilst Vodka Revolution isn’t so bad as to make your authors suggest they would rather be a medieval hermit than drink in here, it’s just not thepubsofyork.com’s cup of tea. This chain is so prevalent within the UK nowdays that you probably know exactly what you’re going to get anyway, so  it is assumed that you are only perusing this review because you’re extremely bored, or trying to spot our typos and despicable use of grammar.


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Rating: 2.7/5 (3 votes cast)

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Cross Keys

Monday, December 21st, 2009

If you’ve read the reviews of the other pubs that reside on this road you’ll know that thepubsofyork.com has a sincere fondness for Goodramgate. The Golden Slipper, the Royal Oak, Ko Ko and the Habit are all belting boozers that sit on this ancient street and York’s premier pub review website expected, based on previous but not so recent visits, that Cross Keys would be the black sheep, the bad apple, the player that let his side down (David Beckham vs Argentina at France ‘98), but its actually not that bad. You could call it the worst of a great bunch and you’d not be far wrong.

When the most recent visit was paid on a snowy December evening thepubsofyork.com noticed that Tetley’s Cask, Stella Artois, Carling Extra Cold, Worthington’s, Fosters, Carlsberg, Guinness, Magners, Spitfire and Rudolph’s Reward (it was December remember) were all up for grabs and that is a range that whilst not entirely inspiring, is satisfying enough.

The most noticeable characteristic of this pub feels a little difficult to address, but thepubsofyork.com aims to be transparent and honest when reviewing York’s exceptional array of pubs and so it doesn’t mind saying that this place seems to attract a certain type of customer. It is doubtful that many of the customers in this place are nipping in for a quick Pimms before heading off to catch a play at the Theatre Royal, but on thepubsofyork.com’s last visit they seemed a friendly and beer loving bunch.

There’s a “beer garden” in which to soak up some summer sun, but to be fair it isn’t much to write home about and nor are the arcade machines or the cheap, microwave friendly food that this place serves.

It shouldn’t be ignored though that this pubs sits in the shadows of York Minster, has a decent selection of drinks and is a stones throw from three of four other cracking pubs. Don’t completely rule out a visit.


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Rating: 2.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Pitcher and Piano

Monday, December 21st, 2009

This place is part of a chain of trendy, fashionable bars that probably put as much focus on the food they cook up as on the drinks they serve.

It sits just off Coney Street next to Vodka Revolution, City Screen and Orgasmic and affords lovely views across the Ouse to North Street if you can grab a seat on the beer terrace.

This al fresco delight is the best reason for visiting this modern bar, not to say that things inside are so bad.

Despite almost never visiting this place (apart from for reviewing purposes of course), York’s premier pub review website is somewhat impressed with the range of drinks on offer, and upon the last visit, did detect a pretty cool vibe that in a different life, could have been appealing. Like many other similar drinking dens though, it can get a bit lairy on a weekend and this cool vibe can turn into an altogether different beast.

On draught the Pitcher and Piano generally offers Staropramen, Amstel, Peroni, Fosters, Guinness, Scrumpy Jack, Becks Vier, Heineken and Bitburger. They even had Pedigree, although it was drawn through an ice covered pipe. Whilst thepubsofyork.com should really know more about brewing procedures and optimum serving conditions, it is pretty sure this isn’t the way to obtain the best pint of this Marston’s tipple.

There were also some pretty cool bottled options, with VB, Vedett, Budvar and Innis and Gunn chilling in the fridge. The choice of spirits on offer was particularly impressive too, although the young, pre-pubescent looking bar man seemed a bit confused by a request for a single measure of Jura.

As thepubsofyork.com stood admiring some very nice looking wrought iron pillars, it considered the absence of crisps behind the bar and deduced that it could only really respect a boozer that was able to sell it a packet of this staple fried potato snack.

Despite this, thepubsofyork.com reckons Pitcher and Piano is more worthy of your time and money than the two bars it sits next to (but, to be fair, they are pretty shit). It offers better ambience and a far superior choice of drinks and of course, shares that very nice view. However, Ladbrokes are offering odds of 100/1 on you ever bumping into this website here.

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Rating: 2.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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