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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: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Meandering Bear
Named after a bear that escaped from a local zoo, this is a modern bar with a reasonably sized drinking area with large windows to the front and with the bar on a raised area to the rear of the room.
Beers are listed on a board to the left-hand side of the bar. On cask, there was Darkland Indie Wildfire & Auld MacGowan, Wishbone Blonde, Hophurst 2 Rounds of 6 Before Breakfast & Thornbridge Wye. The cider was Lilley's Tropical, whilst craft beers were Vault City Cloudy Lemonade, RedWillow Nelson, New Invention Whispers & Thornbridge Lukas.
Another decent Halifax bar that was quite busy on our Saturday afternoon visit.
On 15th July 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Moby Duck left this review about Meandering Bear
Another good modern beer bar offering five cask beers and seven, I think, craft keg,I went with the same beer as Tris below, Black Edge NZP4 and also found it decent. I would have no problem looking in again.
On 14th July 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]
Tris C left this review about Meandering Bear
Opened in September 2019, the name taken from the event when a bear (!) escaped from the former Halifax Zoo and well described below; it’s also a sister bar to the similarly virtuous Grayston Unity.
My Blackedge NZP4, £2.50 half and nice though pricey.
A good place for those who like modern bars rather than pubs.
On 8th July 2024
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Real Ale Ray left this review about Meandering Bear
I thought the interior in here was very 70's in style especially the timber boarded walls, furniture and the trendy lamps over the bar counter. The bar area was also very stylish with a deep green painted bar front and the black and white patterned floor tiles in front of it. The beer choice in here was also excellent, thanks Steve below. Along with Kobenhavn and Vocation & Co, I could quite easily spend a good few hours supping around these three hostelries and then head up to Spice Delight for a Ruby Murray.
On 27th June 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Steve of N21 left this review about Meandering Bear
This was our final port of call to end an excellent days drinking in Halifax. It’s another of the newish wave of modern bars in Halifax that first opened in 2019 and managed to ride out the pandemic and is now riding the local marketing movement to brand Halifax as the Shoreditch of the North. None of the locals I spoke to during the day were taking that particularly seriously and there’s one key difference with the craft beer emporiums in this town and that is that they all have a strong cask ale presence as well, as was the case here. Along with the 8 taps for crafty stuff there are five hand pumps on the bar and for the Pubs Galore Crawl these were providing Tapped Brew Co. Cannon Best Bitter, Wishbone Brewery Blonde, Black Edge Hop Pale Ale and NZP4 New Zealand pale ale and then a rather excellent Parkway Brewery Black Forest Stout. Again the sort of thing that has got it included in CAMRA’s GBG for the last couple of years. The keg options included brews from Thornbridge, Roosters, Lost and Grounded and then a Pink Lemonade Sour from Electric Bear Brewery in Bath for those who like that sort of thing.
It’s not the biggest of bars, set over two levels with the serving area on the higher level at the back left, and it’s probably big enough to make it unfair to refer to it as a micro, although the toilet facilities were certainly leaning to what you find in that genre.
It’s also another of the bars in this part of town who ( like the Grayston Unity) alter their opening hours if there is an event on in the Piece Hall.
As modern beer bars go it’s perfectly comfortable, just didn’t have the character to make me revisit over some of the other pubs and bars, but definitely worth poking your nose in if in this part of town.
On 23rd June 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2236 recommendations about 2098 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Meandering Bear
Another fine micro, with a very friendly bar man, who was rushed off his feet with Wealdstone fans doing some GBG ticking. May be the only GBG place in town that does any sort of food - so took advantage of their famous toasties.
Beer was excllent - Wharfdale Best on Cask chosen and perfect.
On 22nd November 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1563 recommendations about 1543 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Meandering Bear
Another shop conversion modern bar there are two entrance doors ,one with a steep climb to get in .The interior is on different levels with a mix of furniture including sofas and the small bar at the rear left.The ale line up on my Wednesday visit was Abbeydale Wagtail,Black Iris Endless Summer,Wishbone Black Porter,Anarchy Blonde Star and Goose Eye Spring Wells,a regular and NBSS 4.Friendly and helpful service from the barmaid.Rightly listed in the 2023 GBG but not quite as good as nearby Kobenhaven or Vocation & Co. ,it's still worth including on any ale tour around this fine town.
On 26th January 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Meandering Bear
Not massively enticing from the outside but well-worth going in. Modern place but decorated really well; wood panels on the walls, tiled floor, green formica-topped tables some comfy chairs and sofas and a general 70’s vogue feel to the place with a laid-back atmosphere. Two levels, with a couple of steps up to the bar. Five ales across a range of styles; my Parkway Norweigan Blue was good (NBSS 3.5) whilst there are six craftykeg and a cider to also entice. Staff knew their product, really helpful to clueless punters. Oddly quiet for a Friday night, though that actually enhanced the atmosphere as it felt like a bit of refuge. I enjoyed my stop here and I’d make sure to pop in again next time. GBG'22 listed.
On 25th June 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Meandering Bear
Newish small bar with a split level layout, front lower is seating at a "you name it we got it" selection. Up at the back is the counter, a sofa and a table with a bit of upright drinking space. Five pulls of small brewers beers plus six much less well known brewers beers on keg and a nice ceramic fount of Ayinger lager. There’s a blackboard to the left of the counter showing your choice and full marks they make a sterling effort to keep it up to date. Wines and spirits available and it's rather more family friendly on a Saturday earlier evening than an old git would prefer. Stick this one on your Halifax to do list too. I won’t wholeheartedly endorse the next door chippy.
On 29th September 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3599 recommendations about 3279 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Meandering Bear
Definitely not a micropub, but more of a small bar. There was background music playing and they do charcuterie and cheese boards as well. It's on two levels with the bar up a few steps at the rear. The downstairs area has a comfy sofa and chair and some covered settles to the right. There are also some standard dining tables and chairs. Wood panelled walls with a few pictures and a large chalkboard showing what's on the bar. 5 handpumps with one reserved for real cider. My Blackjack Beta Best was a reasonable £3.40. A few in on Friday afternoon and a pleasant buzz about the place. I'll be calling back here next time I'm in Halifax.
On 22nd September 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3286 recommendations about 3196 pubs]