Royal Oak, York

A good pub, benefitting from being on the outer fringe of the tourist area so not too infested. It retains a good selection of rooms: main bar to the front, a plain snug the other side, a nice little lounge behind and a larger lounge-type room upstairs. Cask ales on were TT Landlord, Theakstons Best, Rudgate Ghostly Pale and a very lovely Yorkshire Heart Blackheart.

The Royal Oak has a central corridor that runs from front to rear allowing access to the bar areas to the left and seating to the right. The bar counter to the left serves the corridor, front Oak Room and the Lounge behind. The Oak Room has banquette seating under the front windows and a fireplace on the left-hand wall with a television above, which was off during my recent Thursday evening visit. More banquette seating runs across the rear wall to the bar counter in the right rear corner. The four hand pumps were drawing Ainsty Ales’ Flummoxed Farmer and Theakston’s Best alongside TT Landlord and Dark Mild. The keg options were Madri, Beavertown’s Neck Oil, Old Mout Cider and Guinness. There was some background music playing and there were two other customers, one of whom was dressed as Captain Hook, or maybe Guy Fawkes. The parquet floored split-level lounge bar in the left rear has some more banquette seating and there’s a burner in a tiled fireplace in the left-hand wall. The three hand pumps offered no new cask, but there was the addition of more keg in the form of Stella, Pravha and Orchard Thieves Cider. To the right of the entrance is a snug with yet more banquette seating and another burner in a tiled fireplace on the right-hand wall. This area was empty, but it had a strong smell of wet dog. The toilets are upstairs, as is the Parlour, which is a seating area that is also available for hire. Out the back is a small grim enclosed smoking area. I found the service to be polite and the traditional surroundings are a talking point, but there was no atmosphere. Maybe I’d try again if walking past on a weekend evening.

Called in this pub while visiting York last month. Another decent well kept old multi roomed pub. We chose Treboom Orion's Best from the ales available which was fine.