The Black Horse, York

The Black Horse was one of the busier pubs I visited on a recent Thursday evening. To the right of the entrance is a square open plan seating area that is available for hire. This pub must get very busy when there is a function because this area was full with locals and tourists. The bar counter runs mid-way up the right wall facing seating up the left, and at the rear is a raised seating area that was equally as busy. The counter supports a limited selection of premium and craft keg, and I counted six hand pumps that were drawing Ainsty Ales’ Cool Citra, Sharp’s Solar Wave, Acorn Brewery’s Barnsley, Rudgate’s Chocolate Stout, Rooster’s Yankee and Weston’s Old Rosie Cider. This is a traditional pub with good beer, atmosphere and very friendly service from the barmaid, what’s not to like!

Excellent pub just out of city centre with a good semi-traditional layout and feel to it. A good range of beers and several ciders on also at time of visit.

Formerly the Tap and Spile now re named the Black Horse but this is were the changes end. Inside you will find the bar on the right with a nice snug lounge area with bench seating and tables as well as a few other tables and chairs scattered around the bar. creedance cleerwater revival was softly playing in the background which was nice. There is also a raised stage for bands on weekends. They have a very good beer range s featuring some that are seldom seen in York. Regulars include black sheep golden sheep (£3.20) and Roosters Yankee (£3.20) and three changing guests which on my visit were black hole super nover (£3.30) Hereford pale ale (£3.30) and Hooded rams jack the ram (£3.30). the HPA was in very good condition and they usually keep all there beers very nicely. Well worth a visit just a quick stroll from Monkgate. although it is a quieter pub more in the line of a quiet drink rather than a pub with an abundance of atmosphere, not the place to stay all night on a big night but very good for a beer.

As this pub was just a few yards from our hotel it would clearly have been negligent and a dereliction of duty not to pay it a visit. And I'm glad we did. It's now reverted to its original name of The Black Horse, although plenty of Tap & Spile signage remains. As you enter, a door on the right takes you into a very comfortable and carpeted room that might be regarded as the saloon bar, and is where we spent our visit. The main bar area, where the main counter and handpumps are located, is reached from the small front vestibule or from the rear of the "saloon bar". This bar is bare-boarded and furnished with some standard tables and chairs There's a beer garden at the rear of the main bar. When I was in on Saturday afternoon it was fairly quiet, with just a half dozen or so blokes having a chat in the main bar. The ales on were Timothy Taylor Golden Best; Obsidian Black Pale Ale (a bit of a contradiction there); Black Sheep Golden Sheep; Rooster Yankee; and Ringwood Boondoggle. Food seems to be available at lunchtimes only. Also, a cider festival was on the go, with cider boxes piled up on one end of the counter. I saw that there were 13 advertised, at £3 a pint, which seemed a good bet for cider fans. This is another decent pub, and well worth a visit if you're in this part of York.

Just a name change back to the Black Horse little has changed inside, the layout is as before and the bar back mirrors still say Tap & Spile. Six pulls one with cider the other five with a fairly prosaic range of local ales from Black Sheep, Theakstons, Timothy Taylors, and Bradfield, a Black Sheep beer and Roosters Yankee appear to be the regulars. Quality was fine as was the service. A blackboard advertises a quiz night on Wednesdays plus pork pies with either blue cheese or, the food of the Gods, with a black pudding topping.

This pub is always quiet for a large pub when we go, but then we are usually early afternoon. Friendly enough and the beer was fine. We had Copper Dragon Golden Pippin and Wychwood Hobgoblin both in good condition especially the Hobgoblin. They also had Flowers IPA on and we spent a bit of time trying to discover where it is brewed now. Pumpclip says Cheltenham. They went out to Refresh, Wychwood so probably Marstons. Had a chat about the Junction/Urban brewhouse brewery kit as rumour has it it may be coming to the Tap and Spile, so will check this when next in York September. They have the space for it, and it could revitalise it. I always come in here, but the beer range has not been exciting the last few visits.

called in about 8 at night not very busy it was a bad night the young girl was trying her best to be pleasant with the few that was in but it was hard work for her but not put off will call again