North Bar Harrogate, Harrogate

Pub SignMan left this review about North Bar Harrogate

Part of this Yorkshire based pub chain, this is a modern craft beer bar that sticks close to the format of other bars in the chain. The pub occupies a bare boarded, split-level room with large windows down two sides and the servery over to the right. The bar has a funky, multi-coloured, diagonal striped tile counter front with a lower coffee and cake station at one end. The bar back has cool diagonal shelving units with a few framed sports shirts on top, although it was too dark to see which teams were represented, whilst some cages above are filled with lights and plants. High tables and stools make up the bulk of the seating to the front and across the lower equivalent space towards the rear, past a few well-stocked fridges and a handy beer board. Further back, you head down some steps for a rear lounge-type area with much comfier seating under some impressively large paintings in an otherwise rather characterless room. Muted lighting helps to create a warm ambiance enhanced by laid back tunes playing in the background. Signs suggested overspill seating in an upstairs room, but I failed to explore. The pub was notably quieter than the others visited over the course of our evening, which meant the atmosphere was a bit flat.
There was only one handpull in operation, offering Roosters Easy Going Assassin, with the same brewery’s Yankee having just been taken off. I ended up trying another Roosters beer on keg instead, called Terry, which was a chocolate orange stout that fully delivers on the flavour front. I counted around a dozen other craft keg options in total and it seemed like the few punters that were in were all on the keg stuff.
I thought this was quite a pleasant bar that perhaps lacked a little something to set it apart and make it a more memorable visit. The fading cask range was a slight concern and probably the most memorable part of my visit was the chocolate orange in liquid form in my pint glass. It’s a good option if you’re looking to flesh out a crawl, but in a town with so many great pubs, it doesn’t make quite make the grade and I’d be unlikely to give it a second chance.

Date of visit - 8th November 2024

On 24^th January 2025 - rating: 6
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