The Red Lion, York

No visible cleavages on the two male bar staff on our visit. The last time I visited here was a good number of years ago. On that occasion I liked the look of the pub, but the beer selection was very poor and we hadn't been in since. However, Ouse Boozer and OB have both said that it had improved, so we called in. The pub has been well described by others, so I won't bother. Six handpumps on the bar with four beers available. The turned round clips both had Urban Hopwork Orange badges on. The others were Hobgoblin, and 3 from Rudgate. I had a pint of Rudgate Blonde which was in good nick and we started chatting to the friendly bar staff. It's now a pub that we will definitely call in again. Good turnaround guys, please keep it going.

Looks and location make this something of a tourist destination, it's old and not too messed about. Removal of internal walls means it's a flow of different spaces, although a room to the left side (from Walmgate) , all too close to the Gents, is a comfortable if cramped mix of the mediaeval, Georgian, Victorian and maybe some 20th Century bunkum. For the rest blackened beams, grizzled studs marking the site of old walls and a bit of olde world charm. The right hand room is as Soup Dragon describes. Three handpumps on each on the two counter faces with some decent local ales in addition to some national brands and kegs. Full of middle aged, tourist, diners on the lunchtime I called in. There seemed to be a cleavage of the month competition going on between the two barmaids so that's all good then.

Official site of the Red Lion - redlionyork.com

Official site of the Red Lion - redlionyork.com

A detached pub/eatery with the lower half is in undressed brick and the upper being in white and timber frame. Another pub that claims to be the oldest in York. There is a large patio area. The interior has an irregular shape, with a central serving bar. We entered a long room, with the bar to the left, part way down. The room continues past the bar, but then also follows the serving bar around and has another area behind it, where there was another area, a TV that had Sky Sports News on, at my visit. The pub serves food, but you feel that is still more orientated to being a pub. The décor is a mix of white and wood panel, undressed brick, wood floor and support and ceiling beams. We didn’t eat here, so can’t comment on that. There is a fireplace or two, as well as lots of old photos, pictures and ephemera. The service was fine and the clientele small and mixed. There was general background music, which was very quiet. Beer; usual tap stuff with a rather unoriginal choice of John Smith’s Cask, Deuchars IPA and Black Sheep Bitter. The Sheep was OK, as Sheep is. The place is fine, too be honest, i just found the choice uninspiring for my personal taste. A place for a swifty for me, many more will be quite happy here.

Found this place a rather disappointing experience. There were a couple of ales on (my Deuchars was OK), but were quite expensive compared to nearby outlets. The inside was kitted out in a very Olde Worlde style, a bit cramped but par for the course in York. So for, so OK. However the real beef was the service level; which left a lot to be desired. After asking for a black coffee for Mrs Quinno and being served a white one (important for her as she can't have milk) I asked for it to be changed - quite politely - to which the barman (who had cocked up the order in the first place) audibly sighed and rolled his eyes at his barfly friend who sniggered loudly. So I won't be back in a hurry on that showing. Given the prices and service levels, this place feels less like an honest boozer and more like a tourist trap.