I have been to Varsity many times over the years and I have always found it to be a great place to…read morego for a drink either on a lunchtime or after work or on a night out it just always seems to be one of the places you visit because the atmosphere in there is great. They have just released the new Varsity Card with the new theme Crazy, Sexy, Cool and some people I know laughed at it but its a good idea I think as it trys to promote the type of place it is which I think is essential and the card is a mere £2 it lasts a year and can get you 25% off selected drinks. I have to say that some of my friends have not liked the food in Varsity but I have never had any complaints and it is always reasonably priced and with the newly launched V Card you can use some vouchers towards offers on some food and there is even some for drinks so this place is not so hard on your wallet. If you dont start here on a night out then you have to make sure you come here at some point as it has always been one of the places I go to that makes my night out that more enjoyable but if you go on a lunch or a quick drink after work it still leaves a lasting impression on you and thats why I keep going back. It also has plenty of space to go both upstairs and downstairs and when the weather is nice you can even sit in the Beer Garden which is located downstairs at the back of The Varsity.

I liked this place. I had a great atmosphere but wasn't overcrowded on a saturday night but was…read morestill buzzing. The door staff were friendly and I got served quickly at the bar which makes a pleasent change. Loads of seating too if you want to go with a bunch of mates for a catch up. Certainly would visit again drinks were cheapish too.

Wow, I'm torn on what to say. Because on the one hand, this slickly decorated and quirky shaped bar…read moreis a top spot for a late night drink in Chapel A, but on the other hand when a round of two pints costs £8.80 my head starts to spin. And that's not from the booze, obv. So. It has a gorgeous little outdoor seated patio, which feels wonderfully Mediterranean on such warm August evenings, and with the heated lamps -some of the most effective I've ever known - you'll rarely feel the chill. Inside it looks as though the building is shaped like a railway arch, it's a long building with little booths on either side of the structure, all in a plush sort of leather. The bar staff were jovial and happy, which is always pleasant, and there has to be a special mention for the ladies' bathroom too - it smelled amazing. Odd, I know, but it was one of the cleanest I've been to and somehow had this incredible scent of chocolate or coconut. Something sweet anyhow, but it was a welcome surprise! So, this brings me back 'round to the general bar related aspect. Drinks wise you've a very tentative amount of drinks, suited to all, in terms of a few standard lagers ranging from 4%-5%+, a few quirkier choices for the more discerning drinker, and a wealth of spirits. As I was on the beer I didn't check out the kinds of liquor, but I'm sure there's something for everyone - seems the type of place. Clientele were a little mixed, but on the whole it was pleasant to be sat there, although there was perhaps just a little lack of personality about the place. Comparing this bar to, say Sandinista, this place is rather dull. However, I'm content with a quiet drink every so often, and that's what I came here for! Now, on to my incredibly ridiculously expensive drink. Sierra Nevada Pale. Not mentally rare, nor uncommon, and thinking back I do love how the bar man said, "Well, yes I'd highly recommend the Sierra Nevada, it's a fabulous beer." The cynic in me wants to say it was all upsell, but it is a lovely ale, it's true! Anyway. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was indeed a delicious pint, but I'll not be in a rush to spend so much on a pint again. In summary, it's a great wee bar and seems to be the reliably late-opener here, but it's going to put a sting in your wallet for sure. I was stuck between 3 and 4, so I've been generous, as I'm sure I'll be back, just hoping and praying that the other pints aren't quite so much...

The Hub is an impressive cocktail bar right in...the hub...of Chapel Allerton…read more Like most of the watering holes in this area of Leeds, it is usually packed with young, smart working-folk, giving it a rather trendy feeling. But don't worry, it's not so trendy that it has an unbearably yuppie feeling - it actually retains some of it's Yorkshire charms, and there is always a buzzing atmosphere as the young professional locals discuss their working work. It's a pretty small venue which gives it an intimate feel, and at the weekend it get rammed so you might find yourself squashed against a complete stranger. It's rather pricey but no more so than most of the other joints in Chapel A, so it's definitely worth squeezing in if you're in the area.

This is the nicest weatherspoons i have been in. The building is very grand and has really high…read moreceilings. The menu and drinks are the same as any other whetherspoons. Good value drinks and food. The setting was really nice and was really clean. They do not show sport or have music on - there were tv screens showing the news but on quiet.

So was here today to meet my son for lunch. Its a very old historic building, its part of the old…read moreturkish baths. Its unlike most wetherspoons in that until you actually get to the bar you wouldnt imagine you are in one of their pubs. However the bar confirms you are - staffed by student types , no obvious managment , same beers and drinks on offer. Its not a bad place but I dont think its somewhere I would chose to go to as a regular pub. We had a couple of drinks and a bit of lunch, we went for the chicken kebabs which were over cooked and dry , saved only by copious amounts of piri piri dip. Of course price wise even for Harrogate its cheap , £20.00 4 drinks and lunch. Conclusion is you could do a lot worse but you can also do a lot better than this place.

Now, I'll usually avoid Yates bars like I would a Chugger with leprosy, but for the sake of a quick…read morelunch, out the rain, and with a nice view of the river, why not give it a bash. And ye know what. It was pretty nice. This one is situated alongside the River Ouse, so if you're lucky enough to get a window seat you have a beautiful view of the waterside and bridge. They do various meals in their 2 for £8.95 deal, and I was sure the mother would plump for her usual, scampi, and chose a burger accordingly. No. This time she wanted a chicken wrap, from the lunch and a drink deal. Fine! I'll have the steak and onion panini. Oh yes! Great choice. Needed a bit of sauce, or some such, other than just cheese, to bring together the steak and onion, but it was cooked perfectly, and very tasty, with not a bit of fat to be found. I had a red wine to match, and it was acceptable for the house special. All in all it was a not bad place to get a spot of lunch. You wouldn't catch me there on a night out though! Bomber shots and pop music just ain't my scene.

Very very busy, 30 minute wait for food, but cheap and cheerful, a nice alternative to all the…read moreWetherspoons springing up all over. Two meals for £8 is well worth a visit, especially with a decent bottle of chilled rose for under a fiver!

Whoa, my last review is OLD! Looks like I'm well overdue and update, and I've got a very new bit of…read moreinfo to share. So new, it only launched a week ago in fact - Jake's new bar menu. So, you'll have probably noted the relaunch they had a wee while ago, with the still room where they make their own booze. (That, my friends, is pretty cool - and the portobello road gin makes a great G&T.) Well, now they've another step and created a spanking new menu to tickle your taste buds. I came in to sample it out last week, and the lovely Tori W and I tried various things from the menu. There are a few light options, meaning you can mix and match a few bits, alongside larger mains, such as the burgers. The 'peckish' menu features a few things at £4.95 each or three for just under £13. Rest assured, three would fill you up. We decided to halve a burger and try the chicken in a bag, the mac and cheese and the pork kebab. For me, the stand out option had to be chicken in a bag. It literally comes in a bag, and you get three chicken wings, which were cooked to perfection. The skin was deliciously crispy, and I'm a fan of interactive food - you get a bottle of thick balsamic to drizzle on, followed by a sprinkle jar of dried garlic and flavoursome dusting, which makes each bite an interesting delight. The kebab came with a tzatziki style dip, and the mac and cheese was as creamy and cheesy as you like. The burger, which we saved for last, was perhaps a little on the rare side for some. My thinking is that we should have ordered the smaller dishes as a starter, and asked for the burger to come after, since by the time we came to eating it, it was a little cold. It comes in fast food American style wrapping, and I reckon we'd have appreciated it a lot more fresh from cooked. The bap, a thick doughnut style bun, wasn't for me - I like a brioche bun, but am not so much a fan of the heavy style bread. It was a little too sweet for my taste. However, those looking for a really red burger would probably love this! The special cocktails aren't cheap, mine coming in at £9, but it really was delicious. I forget the name, but it involved two mini saucepans, lots of flames, and a little adrenaline, as the bartender poured the burning liquid from pan to pan for what seemed like an age, before mixing it with cream. It was a very warming Christmassy affair, although we did fear the amount of fire! (Note, Tori was holding on to her hair as he stood behind her!) Total for the two meals, cocktail, and two cokes came to a respectable £36. Not bad for something a little bit special. I'd go and check out the new menu -- peanut butter fans will be excited to learn they serve peanut butter ice cream for dessert. This I need to come back for myself. Enjoy!

Jakes is nowhere near as good as it used to be. A year or so ago it was one of the best places in…read moreLeeds in my book, but on the three or four occasions I've been in the last few months, the evening has been ruined by the shocking attitude of the staff. Firstly, the doormen don't actually seem to be bouncers, just heavy set guys with no ID badges who love turning people away for no good reason. From the inside, I witnessed a group of my mates getting refused and then threatened when they dared to question the refusal. The bar staff are similarly bad - arrogant and argumentative on occasion, and always stood around talking to their mates on the other side of the bar rather than doing their job, which puts a significant blotch on the atmosphere as punters get angry. This is such a crying shame because the place has all the ingredients to be a smashing bar - a good location on the Calls, good people, great music and a little cavernous interior. But unfortunately this is all put to waste by the staff. Such a shame.

Great Mexican street food, nice atmosphere, and good music. I really enjoyed it and will definitely…read morebe back. Only negative: no margaritas to match the Mexican street food menu, and the salsa tray was basic salsa, pico de gallo, and one delicious & interesting roasted corn salsa. (As an American, and obsessed with mexican food, it's among the best I've had in the UK, but a little disappointing)

Used to be the Palm Springs but if you remeber that you are definitely too old to drink here unless…read moreyou are a goth,punk,speed metal head or completely deaf.Avoid if you aren't in your 20's but the crows are always good natured as are the staff and always have lots of activities on -recent zombie march through town centre started here.Pool and table football tables.Stools along side windows for gawking at all the squares i.e. normal people.Different lifestyles,perceptions encouarged not of the above comments would be cause offence I am sure.Live bands occasionaly the Subways played here not that long ago.

This feels like a chain although I'm not sure it is. There is a decent selection of craft beers on…read moretap. The pizzas try too hard to be ironically cool and end up being a disappointment. They are flavourless and not tasty. Boo.

For drinks and music this place is awesome. An amazing variety of many different beers, lagers,…read moreciders at a pretty reasonable price. My only gripe is what they have recently done with their menu. They've upped the price on standard pub grub and it's hard to find anything under a tenner ( Most of their food on their menu is now between £10-£14 ) Because of this, I now go elsewhere for a daily pub meal. I think they are now playing to the pretentious crowd. Their food is excellent quality, but sadly they no longer do chunky chips, and only do fries. Come on guys, get it together. If you put on Sunday dinners but served EVERYDAY of the week, you will redeem yourself.

I have been trying to think of a way to put this without sounding too harsh, but it is just not…read morepossible. Oracle actually makes me feel sick and scrunch up my face in disbelief. It is a bar / restaurant / night club on the waterfront of the river that unfortunately, like so many other bars and clubs, is a cattle market parading around falsely as a sophisticated night out. On a busy night, it is like drowning in a pond of glow stick fluid while bright orange practically naked women pout at you like delirious tropical fish from all angles (see photo of 'sexy santas'). Meanwhile the lazily produced monotonous drones of music repeatedly flick you in the face like an annoying little brother, provoking a tiresome and frustrating headache. Oblivious to any of this, it oozes with pretense, and goes about it's not-even-tactful patriarchal ways as grinning goofy men swagger around trying to look cool and control what's hopefully hidden in their trousers. The only valid reason for going here would be for comedy value, if you can stomach it.

So, Oracle has reopened during the day and I for one was very happy about this…read more If ever anyone would ask me where to go for a burger in Leeds i would have previously not hesitated in recommending this place. The menu however has now changed! And I'm not happy. The speciality here used the be their almighty burgers and the selection was fab,it has been cut down now to a very minimal selection on the menu. :-( My friend and I went for lunch last week and I was surprised to see 2/3 tables of people in there- all eating. As it's down Brewery Wharf it's pretty tucked away so some days I have been in and no other customers have been in the place. This makes the bar space a cavernous and very cold place. The bar is nice and airy, very light with the floor to ceiling windows and features lots of 'bling' style decor touches. Anyway, back to lunch. We were greeted cheerily and seated wherever we wanted. She explained the 'burger lunch special' only featured skinny fries and not wedges or sweet potatoes as says on the usual menu. Other than that its a very good deal. We ordered and sat back to people watch. There seems to be more staff here than is necessary and no-one doing too much. The manager was doing paperwork in one of the booths and another male member of staff seemed to be doing very little except stomping around flexing his muscles. May suit the evening ambiance of this place but not at lunchtime love- I'm waiting to eat! The food came quite quickly and as we had sat opposite the kitchen hatch we saw it was all freshly prepared. We'd ordered the BBQ Ranch burger, the chicken bacon & avocado burger and some cheesy garlic bread. The garlic bread was lovely- very soft ciabatta and cheesy cheese- not overly garlicky so very nice. The burgers were well presented and the portion of fries were HUGE! My chicken burger was minced chicken- a strange consistency really and the guacamole didn't really do much for it. Overall it was OK but I left about a third of it. The ranch burger was nicer, large fresh onion rings and a sweet BBQ sauce provided with it were a great addition. The fries were nice and crisp and overall it was a pleasant lunch. A couple of things let this place down- The dodgy background music The excess of staff doing little to nothing The coldness in the place I wouldn't say I'd now rave about the burgers there but it's going to be one of them places to keep in the back of my mind if I want a filling burger lunch.