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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about O'Donoghues
With a name like O’Donoghues, you would expect a to come across a stereotypical Irish theme bar complete with inflatable Guinness glasses, toucan posters, tricolours and a bar conversation that inevitably ends with “would you like extra cold” before pouring what they will tell you is the best Guinness outside Dublin.
Fortunately O'Donoghues rises above the plastic theme pub game and concentrates on being one of Wakefield’s finer ale houses as well as being a regular outlet for live rock and blues music. The simple interior consists of bare floors and basic furnishings apart from the raised sofa area at the front that doubles up as a stage for the weekend live music sessions. The main body of the pub is quite open but there can be a bit of a bottleneck at the bar when there is a band on. There is a small recess on one side containing a not very accessible dartboard and a few upright empty barrels to rest your pint on. At the rear is a small room that offers a bit of intimacy and also houses an old piano if you fancy sneaking in a few numbers.
The 6 hand pumps offer a good selection of ales, mainly Micro’s and many locally sourced. Over my 2 visits I noted Newby Wyke Kingston Topaz, Rudgate Well Blathered, Bobs Brewery Co White Lion, Mauldons Mid Winter Gold, Batemans Miss Scotland and East Coast SSB. There is also the now obligatory pump clip collection that gives a good idea of what passes through the pumps.
The customer base was quite mature and friendly as were the staff but if you aren’t into the live music side of things then the pub is best avoided on event nights. Definitely one of Wakefields must do pubs but locating the place has thrown a few people into a spin - the trick is to find the Graziers and it is next door round the corner.
On 1st March 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Bull and Fairhouse
Having been told beforehand that this was a 'rock pub' I was a little dubious about visiting but Aleandhearty had recommended it so gave it a go. Was pleased I did, there were a fair selection of unusual beers from independent breweries (5 in total, including East Coast – ex of Fernandes I believe) which were cheap and tasted good. Live music was advertised for the weekends though there was a complete lack of customers at 6:30pm on a weekday night – just me and the guide. The interior of the pub was fairly unremarkable though not unpleasant - perhaps could do with feeling a bit 'warmer' on a rainy day. The landlady was friendly and I could have happily stayed for a couple had I not had other places to go. Worthwhile for a beer visit when the music's on but really needs to advertise itself and get customers in for other times.
On 3rd August 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]