All hail the cult of the burger. Leeds, if you've not noticed the slow take over by America's…read moregreatest export, I don't know where you've been. It began with RARE and Patty Smiths. (Okay, maybe It Bar and others tried it first, but I'm not sure I rate 'em.) Then Meat Liquor, Byron, Almost Famous, and Five Guys. Did I miss anyone? Who cares. Step aside folks -- get thee to Get Baked. I've tried the delivery version of these guys recently (and again -- I need to update) and only recently realised that they had just opened up a restaurant. I often walk into town, so I'd seen something going on inside what used to be The Quilted Llama, then soon realised that Get Baked (mrniceguys) were behind this venture too. Funny that I only just wrote in the other review that these guys needed a restaurant... I liked the tongue in cheek nod to Five Guys on their signage ("High Five Guys") and the l337 speak claiming they'd "run out of l3773r5". Before you even enter, neon words promise you "free food tomorrow". It may be huge, looming, and illuminati-esque (and clearly, it's like that on purpose -- the restaurant is in a church, for goodness' sake) but I love the huge neon signage in the window too. The comic print style, black and white wall paper, featuring characters like Felix the cat, Heisenberg, and Hannibal, is cool enough -- although my friend felt it was reminiscent of Meat Liquor's do up. (I can see that.) My absolute favourite bit is the UV paint splattered hallway to the loos, though. It feels really nineties and fits in well, with yet more cool neon signs dotted about. Essentially, I dig the vibe of the place. The only thing that feels jarring is to eat in a room with such a high ceiling, and since the music is so loud and the lighting is so low, it really feels like it should become a night club once the foodening has happened. In fact, I wish it would -- I could burn off the heavenly guilt and get my rave on in an actually well-converted church. (Did you notice that all other church-come-nightclubs are seriously tacky?) And when I say the music was loud, I mean we actually couldn't hear each other -- or the waiters/waitresses -- at one point. It seemed like they recognised this, as it did go up and down before settling on a balane. I couldn't complain about the playlist though; we shazamed about five songs during our visit. Now, let's get to the real talk: burgers. Oh shiiiiiiiit. I want to say that the reason I ceased to talk to my friend was because I couldn't hear him, but once that chicken burger arrived, it was business time. (I mean, I couldn't hear him, but I didn't care, because burger.) I can't remember the name of my choice -- the chicken burger that's a number which is probably a significant joke I'm not quite geeky enough to get? They all have clever names of some kind. Whatever -- it had a big hunk of perfectly fried chicken, in some other-wordly batter, soaked in maple syrup, with American-style crispy bacon. You bet your ass they put it in a brioche bun. Get in my face and don't interrupt me 'til I'm done. Not a word. The chips were great -- I love the seasoning -- and if you're unafeared of calories, do the nacho cheese. I thought it was worth it. Gentlemen's Wit, a Camden brewery beer, was a solid accompaniment and not too strong. Oddly, if you think flavours and food can be gendered, I would say it's actually a bit 'girly', what with the lemon and bergamot. Maybe CB are being ironic somehow? Whatever. I do have to say, though -- lads: You can't be having the Full Girlfriend Experience on your menu and leave nothing for us ladies. Full Boyfriend Experience please! I like bantz as much as the next lass :) Also -- does anyone remember the Leeds band Pigzipper? They're on the menu too! I dig the weird, creepy mannequin man who gives you an egg if you feed him money. All the staff were great. I wish I'd gotten names, as two of the lads were just awesome; kudos to you dancing guy by the desk -- you're amazing. I like a place where the staff clearly have fun. Plenty of banter. Let's go for the roundup: If you're after a really fantastic, American-style burger, I think these guys are the one. I really, really loved the food -- it's all-out, carb-tastic, screw-the-diet delicious. The drinks range was grand, although I didn't even get to the cocktails that time -- can't speak for the soft drinks since I was on the beers that night. The staff are loads of fun. The prices are fine -- it was about £40 for two burgers, two chips, and seven or so beers. I would prefer the music to be less intrusive, but I dig the playlist. I do also wish it became a bar after 11pm or something. Basically, I'll definitely be coming back. Go on in and fill your face.

It's got something that makes you want to try it out and tell your friends to go but i don't think…read moreit is anywhere near the best of its kind for the burger and american feel. The chicken wings in honey et al. are so mourish I forgot to share them but overall the portion sizes are large! The big open space is filled with unique little bits, like a creepy moving clown in the entrance way. Service was good and the milkshakes were better.

All I wanted was chicken and waffles. I'd been reading about them a lot (okay that sounds weird --…read moreit was related to my job and not some strange, niche interest) and it brought on a huge craving. To salve this, I looked up restaurants in Leeds that might serve them -- enter Rosie's! It's good to have friends that cater to the last minute, oft-weird whims of a lady and her oral desires. (Don't be rude.) My good pal Laurie was up for the jaunt, and so we adventured across town to the Kirkstall complex that houses this joint. It's almost a fun experience. I like the bus (you can sit inside it) and I like the booths and I even like the ultra-cheesy, very-nearly-Pulp-Fiction feel of the decor. Except, once the shine has settled, you feel very much like you're in a TGIFriday type of chain. (I wasn't so keen on that.) That said, the staff were very lovely and accommodating. I loved the fries -- this sounds silly, but I really think they can be hard to master. These were every bit of your filthy, greasy-but-crispy, desire. The burger was solid. It tasted like a solid, greasy, stodgy affair, although by no means was it at Shake Shack levels of nirvana, and the like. Mac and cheese: I've had better. The chicken and waffles: so, those weren't on the menu any more. Sad! However, I asked the waitress if I could order a waffle with maple syrup to come with our mains, and good ol' L-town ordered fried chicken, and so I was able to create my own. Plan worked a treat: whilst the fried chicken was almost certainly from a packet (it did not taste/appear to be made from scratch) it absolutely scratched the itch. Chuck a couple of those b-boys on a waffle, lather it -- nay, suffocate it -- with maple syrup, and you'll get a little closer to the kind of disgraceful treats you can get across the pond. Nope, it's not authentic. But it was what I wanted! There you have it, folks. And, I'll say, of all the eateries in the complex (bar Five Guys, because BURGER HEAVEN) this one's probs tops. Enjoy!

I got mixed feelings about this place, I went with a friend of mine that she grew up in America and…read moreshe was quite specific of what she wanted to eat. So why i got mixed feelings about it? I ordered a Pug hot dog and she ordered a steak and egg. My hot dog was decent (i must say though putting the cheese between the dog and the bun was a bit weird instead of on the top) and the size was very good but my friend on the other side wasn't as lucky as me. She asked for a medium steak and got a well done with an over easy egg on top and got an over medium. The steak looked a but dehydrated and she had to ask for some lemon to give it a boost to the flavour and she made a comment as she was eating her side of corn on the cob that the corn wasn't very fresh. I'm not sure i would go back to try something else unless is FOR SCIENCE!!!!

Just stumbled upon this place, was greeted to amazing service by a young lady who was just so…read moreaccommodating! Came to this restaurant with a vegetarian friend who doesn't usually get to eat at BBQ restaurants, but the menu had a wide selection of alternatives. Meals were impeccable, would 10/10 eat again. The decor was fun and different, made me feel like I was eating at a diner in the deep depths of the South of USA. Will be back :)

Being American born and bred, and having been to all of the barbecue Meccas of the American South…read moreand Midwest, I can state that this is authentic Q. The flavor and smokiness of the meats was spot on, and passed the "no sauce" test easily. All meats had a good smoke rinThe ribs were my favorite, followed by the chicken. The breast was tender and juicy, no dry at all. The brisket was satisfactory, good flavor, but I like it a bit fattier than what was put out. That's a very tough cut to get perfect, but it was perfectly edible as is. The sauces were god; complimented the meats well. This misses one star for the slaw. It is a Carolina style sweet & sour, but it wasn't quite sweet & sour enough. I applied some NC vinegar based bbq sauce, which improved it a lot. The staff was efficient and very pleasant, and provided great information about the food and restaurant. I'd come back, and will state for the record that this is true American style Smoked BBQ.

YELP supper club! I like it here…read more I didn't get to see the upstairs as there was a function on. We had initially opted to go to Reds for our supper but we couldn't get a table until 9:45. James and myself would have been perfectly willing to wait as we really wanted to dine at Reds, but Roweena was making hungry, growling noises and sprinkling passing children with seasoning and mumbling "that one would taste lovely with some bar-b-q relish on it!". So before there was an "incident" we decided to head down to Brooklyn Bar so Row could get her freak-on and tear into some red meat. The bar staff couldn't have been more pleasant, attentive and helpful. I opted for the rum burger and a pint of Blue Moon beer. I have never had Blue Moon before and it is a spot-on refreshing drink. When my burger came it was stacked with fresh salad and perfectly cooked onion rings. The meat was lovely and juicy and deceptively big. The fries where cooked just right. James had a rack of ribs and they looked spectacular. Definitely trying them next time. I will be checking in here again.

Let's not be throwing stars around like shurikens, if I could review the bar separately to the…read morefood, I would indeed. And that review would likely be less favourable as a matter taste. However, there are some things you can't fault, and that would be the service and the food. I'll, of course, go into some detail. The bad news: The bar really isn't to my tastes. Not in terms of décor, but in terms of style. The music is (and I can already hear what you're going to say) too loud and too pop for my tastes. (Whatever, I'm old.) When it's a Wednesday night and no one is in your bar, why must you ear bleed me with Rhianna and that awful awful Blurred Lines song? No one wants it. Or, at least, no one I know. I am also not a fan of TV screens, but I realise some folks do like to watch a bit of footie. People often enjoy it when a leggy man does a goal, I understand that. It's rustic looking and attractive, and has a gorgeously decked out little beer garden (big umbrellas please, for when it rains) so it could be much more - but alas, it's a little like a replica of vodka rev or brb in terms of personality. It needn't be - everyone else was in the aforementioned bars for their Wednesday shooter and R'n'B. My wish would be that it lives up to the NY name more, and actually takes that vibe on a little more. Underground and interesting music on the Spotify, to link into their (I'm assuming, haven't tried) NY cocktail menus and food. Just my opinion, like. ANYWAY! The food. My word, the food. If you come here for just one thing, let it be the burgers. Let it be the California burger, with skin on fries, and delicious crispy SFC strips. It does the same as most, and bungs them in a placcy basket to look all authentic, but when you bite down on that mother of a beef patty, and let the guac, onion rings, melty beef, jack cheese, and the rest assemble in your gob, you know you've made it. You've made it. Welcome to flavour country. I am a fan. As ever, and as will almost always be in Leeds, I wished the burger had been a touch more pink. But - my folly - I didn't ask it to be so. And those SFC strips - yes. Yes yes yes. I liked them immensely. As for the service, not a single encounter was unpleasant, and everyone who interacted with us was fantastic. Top notch service, banter, the extra mile, and all that jazz. Props to the two girls and chap who made the night more of a four star experience than a three star one. So, I shan't ramble on for much longer. The place has potential. I like the subway train by the loos. The actual building is lovely, and the garden is grand. The NY menu is fabulous, and the staff are brill. I just wish they'd ditch the crap music and punk it up a bit. I would definitely then be a regular.

Good, if slightly slower American food can be found in this permanent stand in the Trinity Kitchen…read more Given that most of the places in the Kitchen do quick lunch food for people on the go, this one does require that you have a little more time to wait, but it's well worth it. As the name suggests, it's all about the ribs. I'm sure the chicken wings and so on are great, but I think I've been here five times and every time I've had to order the same thing because it's really good. I order the ribs meal with barbecue (rather than spicy) ribs. This comes with an great big serving of good, crispy fries. Fortunately, you also get handed a stack of napkins and a lemony wet wipe for when you've finished. This is not a meal for people who don't like getting their hands dirty. It's messy food but as fas as I'm concerned messy food is often the most delicious.

It's much slower than the other options at Trinity Kitchen, but the barbeque sauce is great! I…read morealways get the chicken sandwich here -- recommended!

I like my pool, but not enough to go to a pool 'lounge' for an intense best of 21 frames. I'm more…read moreof a killer pool man, to be fair - a bit more sociable, isn't it? But I'm not here to consider a sociological investigation, it's the Elbow Room. I've only ever been on a weekend, when the room is transformed from it's laidback American themed pool lounge to a buzzing venue and club, proferring up live bands and DJs. Drinks aren't cheap and neither is entry, but once in a while - if there's a decent band on or an official aftershow with a band from the Academy doing a DJ set, it's well worth a trip.

The Elbow Room is definitely the most stylish place to pretend to be a pool shark in Leeds - loads…read moreof top of the range tables and fresh equipment that put the grotty tables and cues you find in most pubs to shame. However, you pay for it - it's probably only worth going regularly if you're really good or really rich, as it is top end it terms of pricing. There are a few little deals through the week to draw you in, however - free pool all day on Mondays (drink slowly and it's all worth it) and free pool for women on Thursdays. Aside from pool, they do some fairly good nights at the weekend, based around a good choice in music and a very relaxed vibe - Saturdays are the pick, and well worth checking out if you fancy a change of scenery.

All the meat! The…read morefood scene has drastically improved in Leeds since I moved to London. When I was a student, we had a choice between a chicken kebab from Lucky's or a pizza from Gangsters, (where the chicken tasted like tuna). Nowadays students in Headingley are spoilt for choice for awesome food, the best of which comes from Red's True Barbecue. After being disappointed at the prospect of an Oak BBQ burger or tandoori regret from Tariq's, I lumped off to Red's for a healthy portion of sticky fingers and meat sweats! I feasted on succulent baby back ribs with a pair of chicken wings that terrified me at the thought of how big chickens can actually get, both choices were excellent. I also ordered some burnt ends, some of which were disappointingly tepid in temperature but tasty nevertheless, and a brownie milkshake that was decidedly average. It tasted ok, sure, but at £5 it needs to blow my mind like an Oreo shake from Byron, and sadly it didn't come even close to stacking up. The service was very friendly and attentive, and the food was good. I look forward to visiting the one that opens in London very soon.

Who one earth would put a burger between two burgers ?? This…read moreplace really messes with your head !! Nothing is quite what you would expect ! It's fantastic !!

What a terrific venue Belgrave is - I'm jealous that Leeds has them and Manchester lacks one like…read morethem! The three storey building is used for events such as gigs, comedy nights, film showings and art installations, but at the weekend it was all about the food at their 'Belgrave Feast'. Every second Saturday of the month a small selection of the north's street food vendors set up here alongside permanent residents Patty Smith's (burgers) and Dough Boys (pizza). There's a full bar serving some very decent cask ales, craft beers and cocktails, and seating on all levels (though the ground floor gets very busy from noon onwards). You're able to explore each floor including their roof terrace which will no doubt be extremely popular when the weather's good - they also had a small arts and crafts market on the first floor when we were there. Free entry and free wifi to boot - the owner-operators certainly know how to run somewhere that seemingly ticks all the boxes. A great afternoon was had and I can't wait to go back.

It's interesting this place has been open in Leeds so long yet we don't have anything similar (as I…read morewrite this I just notice Michael B's review, down the side of my page, says the same thing haha). Normally we copy each other's good stuff so it is surprising. The multi floor, multi purpose concept is good and they have some good ales on tap - I enjoyed the Saltaire triple chocoholic stout. Dough Boys pizza was very nice - base a little crispy for me but great value at £3 a slice - practically a quarter of a pizza and 2 for 1 slices in the early evening which is an incredible bargain. Good range of toppings - I just missed out on the sausage fest which sounded great but really enjoyed the brie and caramelised onion option. The rooftop bar is super cute - it's not exactly panoramic views but the space itself is delightful with snugs and deckchairs.

Any establishment in which the staff sport t-shirts with the phrase 'If there are no hot dogs in…read moreheaven, I'm not going' emblazoned across their backs, is bound to catch my attention. A new addition to the ever growing Corn Exchange, I knew when their official opening day was and decided to sample a Primo's gourmet hot dog for myself. The location of the cafe complements the magnitude and architectural beauty of the Corn Exchange. Situated on the middle floor at ground level, seating spills out onto the balcony area, creating a feel of being openly invited to visit. After experiencing so many poor quality and insipid versions of the hot dog, I was curious to discover what precisely gave their offerings that gourmet status. A friend and I ordered the Classic Chicago (all beef frankfurter with chopped white onions, pickles, tomato wedges, celery salt, ball park mustard and a dill pickle spear) and the Dodge City (bockwurst sausage topped with Primo's chilli, West Virginia coleslaw and Monterey Jack cheese.) What a hot dog-based revelation! The bread was delicious, unrecognisable from the soggy, doughy monstrosities that inferior outlets serve. As the sandwiches were made to order, tailoring the contents to your own individual preference was possible. The ingredients were extremely fresh, full of flavour and contributed to making the best hot dog creation I have ever tasted. The staff were charming and friendly, clearly a little apprehensive with regards to their opening, but I had arrived after giving them only 10 minutes to settle in. The constant flow of customers was proof of how the residents of Leeds have been awaiting their city centre presence. Primo's offers a full menu of substantial salads, sumptuous smoothies and delicious cakes. I can attest to the Pecan Pie being devilishly fantastic. I really enjoyed my first experience of this local business, and am looking forward to devouring my way through the entire menu. The perfect hot dog? You'd be barking if you missed out.

If you've not been to the dog pound, where the hell have you been? In the dog house? Even if you're…read morean old dog, you can learn new tricks. Anyway - enough of that nonsense. Primos. You should all know by now that this is the place in Leeds to grab a gourmet hotdog. My personal favourite is the Classic Chicago, only with cheese instead of the hot pickle, since I'm a spice wuss. It's just meltingly delicious and so affordable for a quick lunch. Get some extras and you'll be sorted well into tea time. The temptation of 241 on a Thursday is also an added bonus; those of us more inclined to be piggy can simply gorge two of these delicious meat lengths for the price of one, or those of us more romantic can take a date for a special treat. (Just an idea.) However, I have new information. Not only can you partake of their main fare, and the many quirky oddities on display (such as Fluff and Peanut M&Ms) but you can now also get beer. Winner! Millers, amongst other decent bottles, now stand proud in the fridge of drinkable delights and they're even starting a regular live music evening. Sound awesome? Yes it does. This, though, is not my biggest news. Banana. Latte. It's changed my life. Who knew a wee shot of that magic nectar could make what was once a tasty caffeine fuelled necessity into an elongated pleasurable moment in time? Not me, but I do now. Essentially, I don't even know how it works. Should those two combinations of taste even work? I daren't question it lest it disappear in a puff of wonder. But banana in latte is flippin' awesome. All round winzies for you all.