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The Grove, Huddersfield
Huddersfield
HD1 4BP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Grove
Another good pub and well worth a visit. The owner and barman were friendly and chatty, apart from the other customers, who were a bit stand offish, giving the impression that this was their pub and anyone else was privileged to be allowed in. The owner is a collector of alternative art and craft, which is displayed about the lounge area.
If you're on the lounge side, have a peek around the pillar at the two large nude portraits on the wall. There were 19 ales and 14 craft keg and a numerous amount of bottled beers to choose from on our Saturday afternoon visit. I was a bit dubious of the quality of the handpulled ales, with such a large amount on offer. Nevertheless, our Magic Rock Ringmaster and Thornbridge Eroi Ca were in good shape.
On 11th April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Grove
Situated close to The Rat and Ratchet is The Grove Inn, probably as equally well known for its beer range.
Externally, one’s first impression is of an unremarkable typical street corner local.
Internally, there’s two adjoining bars with rooms denoted as Lounge and Tap Room, although there’s no obviously discernible difference in comfort and facilities between the two rooms.
It’s a quirky interior, with a rather horrible light green colour scheme and modern artwork, with seating consisting largely of long wooden benches with similar wooden tables. There’s a tiled floor that may or may not be original, but it’s a rather featureless modernised interior that is not perhaps what one might expect in this part of Yorkshire. The smaller Tap Room, on the right hand side, is the more pleasant room. Disappointingly, I don’t recollect seeing anything to tell me I was in Huddersfield ( eg – old white and photos pictures, photos etc ) or even the North.
The beer range is the thing here, with an extensive selection of handpumped beer available across the two bar counters, supplemented by an extensive range of foreign bottled beer. There’s 18 pumps in total. This is definitely one for the tickers
On my recent Friday evening visit, beers on included, notably, beers from Brodies ( can’t recollect seeing them this far away from base before ) plus local micros and other more established beers such as Thornbridge Jaipur IPA and Fullers ESB ( which, coming from down south, I noted were priced at £ 3.10 and £ 3.00p a pint respectively ) .
On the food front, I noted that there was a cheeseboard available - £ 6.50p. There’s also a range of snacks ( nuts crisps etc ) which one might describe as unusual. Jazz features on the first Sunday of each month from 4 – 7 pm.
Rather like the pub itself, the customer base appears to be somewhat different from The Rat and Ratchet nearby. Customers appeared to be mainly young urban professionals and trendy looking thirty somethings. Staff seem to be those irritatingly laid back studenty types that I largely detest, principally because they often give you the impression that they’re doing you a favour by serving you.
Asking for a dark beer, I was recommended the Dark Star Six Grain - £ 2.80p. I wasn’t looking when he pulled the pint, but it quickly became evident that this was a pale blond beer. Commenting on this to the barman, I was informed, rather nonchalantly, that “it tastes darker than it looks”, which, believe it or not, it didn’t really. Had he admitted his mistake and offered to change it with good grace, I’d have made light of it and we’d probably have exchanged a joke and a smile, but this response did rather sour my mood.
Perhaps I just came in on a bad day and, in fairness to the staff, it was quite hectic, but, taking the experience as a whole, this pub left a rather poor impression when compared to The Rat and Ratchet.
On 24th March 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Grove
I enjoyed my recent visit here, but I must admit I found the choice of beers rather overwhelming, and the two that I drank were overwhelmingly hoppy, which (judging by the names of breweries and beers I recognised on the blackboard) would have been typical. All but two of the beers were over 4.0%, and there was no mild or ordinary bitter available. I started with Buxton Dark Nights, which I didn't realise (until drinking) was an American-style porter. My drinking companion went for Durham Magus, an old favourite of his which went down well. For our second drink we both went for Magic Rock Rapture, a red ale that the brewery's website describes as "full bodied, heavenly hoppy", "aromas of grapefruit and pine...with a pithy orange and pronounced citrus flavour", which is "balanced against a deeply rich and malty body", finally a "satisfyingly dry and crisp finish offers your taste buds redemption". Actually, rather than redemption, I could have done with an ordinary beer to wash away the taste, and my friend couldn't finish his, which I think is unprecedented. If you like in-your-face hoppiness, this pub will be for you.
On 18th April 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3746 recommendations about 3483 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about The Grove
David you must have been unlucky called in on the 31st of jan very busy many cask ales on tried 3 forgot to write there names down but all was in excellent condition. If your back in the area give it another go.
On 1st February 2013
- rating: 10
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
david hammill left this review about The Grove
Called in this pub on a friend`s recommendation. To be quite honest I was disappointed even though the pub is well layed out with plenty of pub mementoes and the pub was quite busy. The quality of the beer left alot to be desired. i tried a pint of Marble Best which wasn`t very nice - I put this down to being the end of the barrel and tried another beer - a pint of Durham and this was in rather poor condition. My partner tried 2 different continental lagers which were also in poor condition! I doubt we will try this pub again.
On 2nd December 2012
- rating: 2
[User has posted 96 recommendations about 86 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Grove
A street corner pub by the Huddersfield ring road, a short walk from the centre. This is now a true free house that I understand was a failing Enterprise pub previously. Whilst relatively unprepossessing from the outside, once you step in you are faced with such a plethora of ales, ciders, bottled beers, ‘craft’ keg and whiskies that it’s difficult to know quite where to start (or end…). Fortunately, as well as blackboard lists and beer menus, the staff are extremely helpful and will happily guide you through the selection process, offering tasters where appropriate. I'm always very impressed with the knowledge and application of the young staff members who are very friendly and confident to engage in chat about the beers, as well as throwing around some acerbic wit which I enjoy. 18 ales, (eight or so I ascertain to be regular breweries); three real ciders/perries; over 200 bottled beers; seven carefully selected keg products and an emphasis on whisky also. A big effort is made to have as full a range of ale styles available at any one time. The buying policy seems to be quite sharp and specific – they don’t just stock any old rubbish that happens to be pushed their way. Prices were also eminently reasonable given that some of the stuff they sell won’t come cheap. They also, unusually, take an interest in the application of sparklers on the ale rather than screwing them all on by default. Glasses are also oversized.
The Grove is a two bar pub, with a larger room on the left and a smaller more intimate room on the right. The décor can be summed up as ‘quirky’ with some interesting artwork, which may put some off but I thought it added a little something; the Johnny Rotten/Union Jack piece in the right hand room caught my eye as one I wouldn’t mind having myself. Quirkiness also extends to the bar snacks, where one can sample some stupidly hot chilli beef biltong that needs a good slug of Hawkshead Lakeland Lager to subdue (there are also apparently Crickets as well). A small beer garden is situated at the rear.
Like Pubsignman, my only regret is that the Grove is several hundred miles away from where I live. I’ve been in a fair number of excellent pubs but this one really is a revelation and I would urge enlightened drinkers to make a special extra effort to come here.
On 23rd November 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Grove
This two room pub, just outside the Huddersfield ring road is something of a beer drinker’s paradise, with one of the most comprehensive beer policies I think I have even encountered. Real ale fans have a breathtaking array of all sorts of styles and strengths to work their way through, whilst fans of 'craft' kegged beer are similarly catered for. Cider and perry is also abundant and beer menus list one of the most elaborate bottled beer and spirit selections I've ever seen. I visited the pub on several occasions during a recent stay in Huddersfield and found that the beer was in tip top condition each time.
There are a number of handpulls set aside for specific breweries - Brewdog (Trashy Blonde was on during my stay), Marble (Manchester Bitter followed by Lagonda IPA), Dark Star (Espresso Stout), Durham (White Amarillo), Fullers (Gales Spring Sprinter), Gadds (No 5 Best Bitter) and Thornbridge (Branta) - and three more have permanent beers which are always on (Timothy Taylor Landlord and Golden Best, Thornbridge Jaipur). The remaining eight hand pulls are free for guest ales, which when I was there included Buxton Axe Edge Double IPA, Ilkley Mary Jane, Lymestone Stone Faced, Brampton Mild and Jerusalem, Thornbridge Alchemy X and Red Willow Smokeless Porter. There are two cider pumps - one from Saxon (Agostini Perry) and the other a guest (Broadoak).
Regular tap offerings include Aspall Suffolk Cider, Brewdog 77 Lager, Jever Pilsner, Fruh Kolsch, Erdinger Urweiss and Moravka Kvasnicove and there is a font permanently dispensing something from Brewdog which was IPA is Dead - Citra whilst I was there. Other keg offerings included Mikkeller Hoppy Easter, Gadds/Revolution Cat Back to Basic Double IPA, Stone Subliminally Self Righteous and Du Pont Bons Voeux.
Faced with such a massive selection, it can be a bit confusing trying to work out what you might want to order, but the staff all seemed to know the products inside out and were happy to have a chat and offer tasters in order to help you figure out what sort of beer might best suit you. Blackboards in both rooms detail the range to save you having to pop round to see what's on the other bar.
The room to the left, which is set up as a lounge bar, seemed more popular during my visits and it's certainly quite a striking room thanks to some large pieces of artwork including portraits of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, a strange Alice in Wonderland scene and a large naked couple. There is access to a beer garden from this side as well. However, I preferred the smaller tap room on the other side of the pub which had a clean looking green and white colour scheme and a flagstone floor. Banquette and pew seating lined the walls opposite some long tables and a large portrait of Johnny Rotten sneered down on everyone within. I thought it was a bit cosier in this room although it was a bit too quiet earlier in the day when most customers were sat in the other bar.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is one of the best pubs I have ever had the pleasure of drinking in and it would be a real shame to come to Huddersfield and not give it a try. The landlord has done some great work in getting this pub to the point it now finds itself in and it should be held up as a model of what can be achieved or aspired to. I cannot recommend this place enough - my only regret is that it's several hundred miles away from where I live.
On 28th May 2011
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about The Grove
I'm not going to leave a rating for this pub, primarily because I didn't enjoy my short visit here but it was nothing to do with the boozer itself and more to do with being hassled by two loud pond-life patrons who seemed intent on poisoning the atmosphere and ruining a quiet afternoon for the other punters. The landlady was very apologetic and asked them to leave, and I got the impression they certainly weren't regulars. Its a shame because I was very impressed with the range of ales and world beers; I had a lovely pint of Gadd's Number 7. But unfortunatley I couldn't wait to leave. I'll be back, for sure, but probably with a bigger mate who's more comfortable telling people to get lost!
On 13th November 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Spinko Spinko left this review about The Grove
This place can not be bettered. A pub that always has Thornbridge Jaipur on has always got one up on its neighbours but this place is something else. Always at least 16 pumps on of all beer styles, and you can have a look in the morning here http://www.groveinn.co.uk/now.htm to see if there's something that whets your appetite/thirst. There's an interesting range of bar snacks including crickets and beef jerky, and then even let you take your own (cold) food into it. I can't recommend this place highly enough. A little tricky to get to if you are taking public transport, which I suggest, but well worth it for one of th best pubs in the country. Ten out of ten.
On 30th October 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 44 recommendations about 44 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Grove
Wonderful ale house,a phoenix risen from the ashes of a failed Enterprise Inns house.The tap room on the right of the entrance has a chalk board listing the handpumped ales with a very helpful note of the beer colour to guide punters unfamiliar with the ever changing list.This board is kept strictly up to date and is worth watching,when the Marple Summer came on mid session the word quickly filtered around the bar and this outstanding ale became the focus of many quaffers ,me included.The landlord always tries to offer at least one Marble and Brew Dog ale,along with a wide variety of styles such as mild,stout,pale ale,golden,IPA,best bitter,etc,etc so there is something for everybody.If you are not content with that there is a printed menu which is a veritable smorgasbord of alcohol from around the world including spirits,lagers,fruit wines,perry,mainstream wine,too much to describe here.The bar service is sharply efficient but chatty at the same time with much joshing ,as long as you dont order a Stella.Besides the tap room ,there are two other drinking areas to the left of the front door,with a second chalk board beer list close to the door to the good sized garden which absorbs a lot of folk in the fine weather leaving seats available inside.One of the best pubs I have ever had the pleasure of drinking in,an absolute must visit.As has been said already, you really need to devote a weekend to this place to do it full justice.
On 12th July 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]