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Detail Pages
Minster Inn, York
York
YO30 7BH
Pub Type
Tenanted (Marstons)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about Minster Inn
The minster tavern consists of a central corridor with a room with seating the left and the bar to the right. There is a serving hatch to the bar in the corridor and at the rear are an outside toilet (literally outside) and some seating for smokers. This pub is just far enough away from the hubbub of the town centre to become a relaxing oasis from the tourists that converge upon York’s Inns at the weekend. There is no television or music, but there is an abundance of character from both the pub and the customers. I think it is called Yorkshire charm! The bar supports five hand pumps and a limited standard draught selection.
This pub is well worth a look if searching for an authentic York backstreet boozer.
On 27th April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6168 recommendations about 6131 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Minster Inn
Situated just far enough from the town centre to make it a peaceful retreat, but cose enough that it’s not a chore to get to, the Minster Inn is a very pleasant traditional two room pub. Entry is into a fairly wide corridor with doors leading left to a lounge and right to the bar and front room. The bar is accessible from the corridor, so that those in the lounge don’t have to enter the front room every time they want a drink. The front room itself is fairly compact and minimalist, with a single banquette running the length of the wooden floored space, providing enough room for three tables. At the far end of the room is a fireplace which in itself is nothing special, but it has been adorned with wine corks which cover the section of wall above. A few pictures of old York pubs line the other walls, prompting much nostalgia from the other people in the bar during my visit. Several humorous books are on display on the mantelpiece and each table had a handheld puzzle on it – mine kept me distracted the whole time I was here and I still failed to crack it. The lounge looks like a fairly comfortable spot to relax over a few pints and has a single curved banquette and regular seating. There is a small garden to the rear with a covered decking area and what I assumed was the pub’s former sign propped up against a wall. The gents are out here too and are a little bit of history in themselves.
I’m not sure if this pub is tied to Marston’s, but their beer certainly seems to dominate the hand pumps. My choice was Ringwood Bold Forester, Marston’s Burton Bitter and Single Hop Marynka, Jennings Sneck Lifter and York Guzzler (£3.00). My pint of Guzzler was in tip-top shape and went down very easily after an afternoon traipsing around in the pouring rain.
I really liked the feel of this place and thought it had an ideal location that makes it feel a bit like a well kept secret. The landlord seemed like a no nonsense sort of bloke who knows exactly how he wants to run his pub, and on the evidence of my visit, he’s doing a very good job of it. I’d encourage anyone visiting York to add this to their itinerary and I look forward to a return the next time I’m in town.
On 11th July 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3361 recommendations about 3361 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
OogyWawa . left this review about Minster Inn
Lovely little friendly community boozer worth finding as it's a little off the beaten track nestling down Marygate off the main Bootham thoroughfare into York. Beer usually well kept although one gripe is that the landlord doesn't listen to the punters that tell him that blonde and golden beers are under-represented on the bar - there are too many of the darker bitters one at any one time from the Marston's stable.
That said - those that are served are well kept. Can't bring myself to give it more than a 7 - mainly due to the distinct lack of "guest" ales and the huge choice of beers available in other York pubs - but certainly a very worth Good Beer Guide pub.
On 13th May 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 15 recommendations about 15 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Minster Inn
I see the ratings here climbing 8 to 9 so here I am with 10 as this pub so very well deserves top marks. I hadn't picked to visit here on my list of York pubs. But thanks to a tip off, am glad I called in, this really is a proper pub. Staff management and customers all very friendly and have a great chat. Very clean and well run, they even polish the brass pipes in the gents outside. This pub is quite difficult to leave as the choice and standard of beers are so good. I went for the Banks Lions roar, Marstons Burton Bitter, Ringwood Boondoggle and Jennings Snecklifter. Will certainly call again.
On 19th March 2011
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3716 recommendations about 3716 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Minster Inn
A real favourite of mine. There are two rooms and a drinking corridor, plus a tiny yard at the back for smokers. The beer range doesn't change much: Brakspear Bitter, Hobgoblin, Marstons Bitter and Double Drop, plus (as always) Jennings Sneck Lifter.
The atmosphere is really friendly, a pub whose landlord and locals always welcome strangers and tourists. The puzzles on the tables and mantelpiece are constantly being added to by regulars and now include some wooden ones. The pub is handy for York City's ground if you're going to the football.
On 13th March 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 4392 recommendations about 4036 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Minster Inn
This pub is unaltered and is quite close to the city walls but outside them,it was a Stones house in the 80s but now has products mainly from Marstons like Wychwood Hobgoblin, Jennings Cumberland or Marstons beers, this is a small and cosy pub that is well worth a visit and it is a short walk to the recentley opened (about a year) Bay Horse at the bottom of this road.
On 24th August 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Minster Inn
Nice friendly pub lying in the shadow of the walls of the ruined St Mary's abbey. A Marston's house so beers from their stable only but very well kept, the pub deservedly is a GBG regular. The layout is the original Edwardian one also seen in the Blue Bell, although in a lighter style here with two bars off a drinking corridor all served from the same central servery. Five pumps with the Marstons beers including a cask lager from Wychwood called Regal, wasn't that a brand of very cheap cigarettes a few years ago? Simple décor in keeping with the clean Edwardian lines, the wall of corks, some old photos of the pub and some beer cellar related brassware.
On 1st August 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3686 recommendations about 3364 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Minster Inn
They had Sneck Lifter, Brakspear’s Bitter, and Jennings Tom Fool on. I had the Tom Fool, which was fine. There were sparklers on all the taps, but trying to blend in with the locals I pretended that I was used to drinking beer that came looking like a cream soda, but I doubt whether I fooled anyone.
I found this an interesting an unusual pub. You enter into a corridor, which leads to a separate room on the left; on the right is another smallish room that contains the bar counter. The side of the bar counter is actually in the corridor, and when I was in the pub there was a local propping up the bar while standing in the corridor. A couple of other unusual things about this place is the chimney breast covered with wine bottle corks, and the solid metal puzzles on the tables for use by customers who must like to fidget with something while drinking. But this struck me as a real locals’ pub, and I would be happy to pay a return visit if in the area again.
On 14th June 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2607 recommendations about 2521 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
James Joines left this review about Minster Inn
Multy roomes Edwardian Inn with Real Ales.
On 3rd May 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 841 recommendations about 835 pubs]