Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Harlequin, Kelham Island, Sheffield
Sheffield
S3 8GG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Harlequin
This traditional pub is well worth a visit. The bar staff were friendly and helpful and the condition of their ales were spot on. Seven ales on handpump on our visit, I went for the Brew Co Blonde, which was a good session ale. This pub is a must when in Sheffield.
On 28th April 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Harlequin
A revisit found things fairly similar though there now seems to be a number of Brew Co beers on as permanent. I tried the Brew Co IPA which was a little under-par. Perhaps I was just unlucky; I would have tried another but there were more pubs to get around to…thing is in Sheffield you really are judged by the last pint you serve as there so many alternative outlets…
Still a good pub though.
August 2009
A single room open-plan pub on two levels. The interior quite plush compared to a number of nearby outlets albeit in a slightly twee retro manner. Oversized glasses are used to serve a fine range (10) of well-kept ales from the carpeted bar area, including a few rare brews for the area – I noticed a Ballards and Rebellion beer on the go – as well as some ciders and an impressive range of bottled New World beers. Piped music with a varied, eclectic output. Good value sarnies available at £1.50 a pop which were excellent, just like my nan would make! There's board games available to keep you amused along with a dartboard. Live music is advertised, blues being a popular choice it seems. Overall, highly recommended if you like your beer. Not too far away from the KIT-Cat combo and on the way back (sort of) to the train station, so well worthwhile.
On 30th August 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Harlequin
This is a pleasant riverside freehouse with a smart interior and excellent range of ales. Essentially a single L-shaped room, albeit split over two levels, you enter into a carpeted bar area with a number of banquettes and standard chairs either side of the front door. Walls are decorated with bits of brewerania and there is a nice little fireplace in the front corner of the room. As you pass the end of the bar, you reach the lower level which has a vinyl floor and bench and standard chair seating. A semi partitioned section creates a safe darts area in one corner and elsewhere there is an upright piano. Shelves hold a collection of old beer bottles and I spotted a book swap as well. There was a good crowd in when I arrived on a Saturday evening, but unfortunately most of them left when they were asked to vacate their tables to make way for the live music that was due to take place on the lower level. Music was playing during my stay whilst the band set up their equipment, but it was so quiet that I couldn’t make out what any of the songs were. I didn’t notice a particular predominance of beer tickers in here and the notes I made at the time actually mention the diverse nature of the crowd.
There are loads of blackboards in this pub detailing the various beers available, of which there are a considerable number. The ten handpulls offered Brew Co Best Bitter, Blonde, Proximus and Cedar Lake Amber, Raw/Off Beat Hop Chick, Real Ale Corner Rack and Ruin, Ascot Anastasia Stout and On the Rails and Acorn Ollie’s Army. There were no mainstream keg products, with the likes of Brooklyn Lager and Frulli available instead alongside a comprehensive bottled beer range. The aforementioned blackboards listed an impressive ten ciders and perries. I gave the Hop Chick a try and although it was a bit intense for my liking, there is no doubt that it was served in top condition.
I really liked the feel of this place and would have probably stayed a bit longer were it not for the imminent prospect of live music – not a bad thing in itself, but not what I was after on this visit. I would say this is a must do for anyone on the hunt for good beer and it would make an excellent choice as somewhere for an extended session.
On 14th April 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Harlequin
This 2011 Good Beer Guide pub is one of the most comfortable pubs I have been in. Good beer and food to be found here. Plenty of ales to chose from and no problem with quality. Hold well regarded beer festivals during the year, and there are music and quiz nights. Dark Star Oktoberfest and Glentworth Lucky Wish were todays choices.
The above was my visit in October 2010, and we were back on Thursday. Problem for us is that this pub is usually at the starting end of our crawl, and usually has lots of beer we haven't tried before, but knowing the pubs yet to come we try to limit ourselves. Having said that, we started here by sharing Hardknott Code Black 5.6% and Summer Wine Seven C's of Rye 7.0%. Went down to the more respectable Revolutions Devolution and Brew Co Yellow Rose both 4.5%. Brilliant.
On 13th August 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thomas Sturgess left this review about The Harlequin
The Harlequin is the most beerticker infested pub I've ever been in. Every time I've paid it a visit there has been a a few of them busy quaffing away. Unsuprisingly the beer is superb in terms of both range and quality. The only issue for me is that I've not found it to be the friendliest, with people preferring to leave you well alone in there.
On 24th August 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 11 recommendations about 11 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about The Harlequin
A pleasant traditionally decorated pub inside with pump clips dotted around the bar but these are not just the ones that have been on, they are the additional ales that actually on aswell as the 10 hand pumps (the ones at the back of the bar are the ones not on).Had a number of dark ales on during our visit. Its just a shame we have to leave as so many other pubs to do on our visit.
On 21st August 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Harlequin
The focus here is wide with a large range of ales,cider,perry and new world bottled beers.Our aim was on the ale and we were confronted with a lot of local microbrewery offerings and two house beers produced by The Brew Company. Very helpful tasting notes but possibly the new team need to select some outstanding regular ales to complement the rotating micro offerings to ensure that a visit is not impacted by an excess of average brews.After all the local competition is pretty stiff.The interior is large and newly upholstered giving a lounge rather than pub feel.Very well organised events most nights using the first floor areas and worth including on any crawl.
On 10th June 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Harlequin
Another of Sheffield's real ale emporiums but with something of a difference in that The Harlequin clearly makes a big effort to attract customers with both events and real ales. There seems to be something going on pretty much every night and on our visit it was an open mic session which we declined as the singing voices were a touch scratchy. Eleven real ales are offered including two from Harlequin, Best and Stout. The remainder are from predominantly local breweries and despite the large number of ales and very helpful tasting notes supplied on the blackboard, we very soon ran out of beers we wanted to drink. The Harlequin is clearly an excellent boozer making an enormous effort but on the, albeit slim, evidence of our visit it could perhaps tweak its range to make it more attractive.
On 10th June 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Harlequin Inn
A big square shaped pub on the edge of Kelham Island, one big room with a slightly separated lounge to one side. The back of the room is at a lower level to the front and houses the dart board, a piano and some tables and chairs. Furniture is a bit of a jumble of styles and types but the fittings have a thirties air. 14 handpumps of nicely kept small local brewery beers although this should probably not be described as a tickers pub. Due for a change of management in March 2010. It is a great boisterous place, very different to the slightly genteel Kelham Island Tavern, the traditional Fat Cat and the trendy Riverside, which are all nearby.
On 1st March 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about The Harlequin
Derby Blonde Escape & Outrageous Drop, Blakemere Ferrier's Fettle, OPA Hay's Engel's Porter, Goffs White Knight, Bradfield Farmers Blonde, JS Magnet, Bollington Happy Valley, Milestone ‘Classic Dark Mild', Brew Co Winter Tan, Goose Eye Owa Th'ill, 1 unclipped, beers dispensed in over-size glasses. Carpetted open plan room winds around the bar, banquette surround seating, cushioned stools, wood tables, down a step to an area with piano, dartboard in far corner. Varying soundtrack (Acker Bilk, Rock&Roll, Motown), live music seems to lean toward blues – Tim Rodwell last Thurs, another band Sat. The ‘what's on' board noted Mon–Ales from £1.50, Tues–Folk Nt, Wed–Quiz, Thurs–live music (TR), Fri–free buffet, Sat–Ale in the afternoon (I asked–was told ‘just sit & drink!'). Not architecturally characterful but a great deal to like here–a pub obviously making an effort, and a marvellous beer line-up. Fairly busy & chatty on my visit. Recommended.
On 11th March 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]