Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
New Pub with Poohbear1863
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Black Lion, Leighton Buzzard
Leighton Buzzard
LU7 1EA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Moby Duck left this review about The Black Lion
An old traditional pub with oak beams and an Island bar serving the U shaped room. There is a piano and advertised was a weekly Honky Tonk night. No less than eight handles on the bar with five in use, though the pub was gearing up for a beer festival starting a couple of days after my visit. Cask beers on were Bass, Oakham Citra, Milton Sparta, Nethergate Suffolk County and Bristol Beer Factory Independence.
Very much the top pub in town.
On 23rd August 2026
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2409 recommendations about 2372 pubs]
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Black Lion
Looks little different from the other old pubs in the historic centre, but the partly opened-out U-shaped layout is quite a treat. All parts refurbished in a very traditional style so it's difficult to know the age of most features, but the effect is still good. Fine selection of six cask beers from mostly smaller breweries on a total of eight handpumps, but - on a recommendation from a fellow customer - I went for the Bass (£4.70, VG) in the end.
On 25th June 2026
- rating: 8
[User has posted 9226 recommendations about 9226 pubs]
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Black Lion
For me, this was the pick of Leighton Buzzard's pubs. It has seating either side of a central bar. The interior is traditional with bare boards and beams. A few old pictures line the walls. It was certainly busy on my Friday afternoon visit. Quiz nights are promoted and I spotted a piano near the entrance, presumably the centre of attention on the pub's honky tonk night. Kids and dogs are allowed in.
Draught Bass & Nethergate Suffolk County are the regular cask ales. Guests for my visit were Oakham Root & Branch, North Cotswold Green Man IPA, Milestone Rich Riby, Oakham Citra, Chevallier Cupshot Bitter & Moor Illumination. It was only after ordering the Green Man IPA that I then spotted a board listing a decent cider selection - Heck's Vintage Dry, Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon, Weston's Old Rosie & Rosie's Pig, Lilley's Pineapple Cider, Bee Sting Perry & Nuclear Mango & Guava Cider & Thistly Cross Scottish Fruits. Needless to say, I stopped for a second. Wine lists can be found on each table too. So this pub, appears to cater for all.
Service was good here and with an excellent ale and cider selection and a nice, relaxed atmosphere, this should be top of your list when visiting the town.
On 9th February 2026
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3596 recommendations about 3594 pubs]
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Black Lion
Old, beamed pub, very traditional. Not large but space enough in semi-cicular room around the bar. Good beer choice and good service
On 1st November 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1620 recommendations about 1597 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Black Lion
This pub is a real gem and served a range of top class ales, six in all on our visit. The line up was Stamps Rum Porter, Oakham Bishops Farewell, Bass, Cotswold Best, Heritage Oatmeal Stout and Nethergate Suffolk County. The interior is traditional in style and the open log fire down on the right hand side of the bar was a real treat whilst supping away. The staff were so friendly and helpful and the pub had a decent and relaxed atmosphere. There was also a large Gin bar at the rear of the pub and an extensive range of German beers on our visit.
On 4th November 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3767 recommendations about 3767 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Black Lion
Enjoyed our visit to this friendly 2019 Good Beer Guide pub entry where we found plenty of cask ales on offer. Elgoods Mortal Wombat and Cambridge Bitter, Nethergate Eons Milk Stout and Suffolk County, Butcombe Gold, Oakham Bishops Finger, Black Country BFG and Bass. If that is not enough choice over 100 bottled beers both British and Continental.
On 18th February 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Black Lion
This place consists of a single room with a wooden floor and a peninsula bar. It's been more than well described below. It was packed on my early Thursday evening visit.
The eight hand pumps had North Cotswold Tumbling Jack, Beartown Black Bear, Nethergate Five Rifles Red, Lincoln Green Hood, Windmill Deckhand, Partners Stout & About, Bass and Oakham Bishops Farewell. Sadly as noted below nothing from any local microbreweries. I went for the Bishops Farewell (£3.50) which was in good nick.
I thought this was a good pub but not a great one.
On 4th December 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Black Lion
ORIGINAL REVIEW Feb 2014.
Purchased by the owners of the award winning Merchants in Rugby,this pub reopened in January after a sympathetic refurb creating a wonderful ale house.The building dates from 1500,with a Georgian frontage and the interior has a low ceiling and many impressive beams.The bar is situated in the middle,to the left there are three levels,each with some high tables and chairs,a darts board and a flat screen which is rarely used,there are many sports bars in town for those that want that sort of thing.To the right there is traditional furniture,a real fireplace and a section which winds behind the bar,with access to a large and impressive beer garden.Breweriana is dotted around the walls. No muzak or machines,just the hubub of conversation from an appreciative audience.
There are eight handpumps with three regulars Adnams Southwold Bitter,Bass and Oakham Citra (£3,well kept).The five guests will normally include at least two dark ales,often a MILD and a porter,and will also feature a range of strenghts.Many award winning microbrewers will be represented at the bar.My Titanic Plum Porter and XT 5 were real stars.There is also a selection of 8 ciders,a solid wine list and a menu of bottled Belgian beers.
The service is terrific,friendly and knowledgeable,and although the pub has only been open in it's current guise since mid January, it has already attracted a wide range of drinkers with a wide range of ages.
Leighton Buzzard has been crying out for a decent real ale pub for decades,and the Black Lion delivers in spades.I am sure it will get GBG recognition and in time many awards just like it's sister pub the Merchants.It is head and shoulders above the other boozers in town,a real must visit .I can't wait for my next trip in here.
UPDATE
A revisit found a rather mundane real ale selection apart from an excellent Oakham Bishops Farewell (therefore three pint test completed) and a decent Bass.I've tempered my enthusiasm and knocked two points off.It's still very good ,but maybe doesnt need to try too hard now that it's firmly on the town crawl scene.
On 25th November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3252 recommendations about 3252 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Black Lion
A comfortable old fashioned pub with eight hand pumps crowded onto the small section of bar which is facing on entry. Round the corner is another section of bar with a board listing the beers, which is handy if bar leaners are obscuring the pump clips. The beer list is diverse, from many parts of the country between North Yorkshire and Cornwall, but on the occasion of my visit there was surprisingly nothing at all from local brewers. Local CAMRA Pub of the Year 2015.
On 6th November 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 4910 recommendations about 4493 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Black Lion
Ably reviewed by the two correspondents below, this is an attractive looking pub at one end of the High Street, and consists of a single U-shape room wrapped around a central bar counter.
Décor wise, it is quite cosy and traditional with a few black beams on the ceiling and dark wood panelling on the lower part of the walls with some pale yellow paintwork elsewhere. Flooring is predominantly wood strip, although with some carpeted areas as well. A few black and white photos were dotted around the walls as well as some brewery memorabilia such as branded mirrors from Bass and Flowers. A darts board was tucked away at one end of the pub and a notice advertised some forthcoming live music. There is also a “Knit and Tonic” on the first Tuesday of every month, and the sign advertising this was, appropriately enough, knitted.
Beers are clearly a major focus here and on this occasion consisted of Oakham Bishop’s farewell, Grainstore Rutland Panther, Bass, Adnams Southwold, Flipside Franc-in-Stein, Slater’s Green Hop IPA, Adnams Fat Sprat and XT 6 Rich Ruby. The solitary cider was Stowford Press. A menu on the table listed the beers lined up for the forthcoming Oktoberfest which ran to a total of 56 and included one at 12% (Scaldis Ambrée), although it was not clear which ones were draught and which were bottled.
On 1st October 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2161 recommendations about 2053 pubs]