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Detail Pages
The Palace, Leeds
Leeds
LS2 7DJ
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Palace
We found this to be a very comfortable pub with great service from the friendly staff. I had a very well kept pint of London Pride, plus the prices were cheaper than their other Nicholson's pub the Scarborough Hotel. There were ten ales and one cider to choose from. The features I liked here was the glazed Victorian tile work in cream and turquoise, the cornice work with the detailed dental moulding, the cast iron streetlamp clock, match strike plates and coat hangers along the front of the bar counter. The wall mounted flat screen TV in the main lounge had an ornate picture frame surrounding it, which I thought was quirky. Mrs A enjoyed the Wharfedale Fair Dinkum.
On 3rd December 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Palace
Large Nicholsons pub close to Leeds parish church (but a fair walk from the modern city centre). Elongated 'L'-shaped bar, with one end on a slightly lower level. Some benches out front. Usually has Tetley Cask and Leeds Pale on, plus a decent selection of other real ales and a cider from the 11 handpumps. Overall, worth popping in if in the area.
On 19th October 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Palace
The Palace is a historic former timber merchant’s house, built in 1741 and converted into a pub a century later. Nowadays it is run by Nicholson’s, taking the form a of a single, elongated U-shaped room, although it’s not too tricky to imagine how the former multiple room layout, that was sadly scrapped in the early 90’s, might have looked. The main bar area has bare floorboards and a limited supply of seating under the large front windows. There is plenty of wood panelling, including much of the bar back, whilst a large, train station style clock hangs above the servery. On either side of the bar there are decent sized seating areas with banquettes and standard chairs around the perimeter and some entrance porches with stained glass inserts. I noted one TV over the front porch was turned off, whilst a second, to the rear of the flagstone floored right hand side of the pub, was showing some dismal daytime TV programmes. The large pavement at the front allows room for a few outdoor benches and there is a patio out the back, although this area doesn’t compare to the pub’s original gardens which apparently extended as far as the Aire and Calder Navigation, allowing one former landlord to indulge in a spot of boat building, constructing a tunnel from the pub to the canal from which he could launch his vessels.
On the bar, the usual Nicholson’s mix of the familiar and obscure occupied the row of hand pumps. I noted Fullers London Pride, Tetley’s Cask, Bass, Woodfordes Wherry, Ilkley Norseman, War Lord IPA, Leeds Gathering Storm, Orkney Dragonhead and Weston’s Old Rosie cider. Intrigued by the War Lord IPA, I gave it a try but was a little disappointed with the quality which seemed past its best.
This is clearly a place with an interesting history, but I didn’t get much of a feel for it whilst sat in here and I thought, unusually for a historic Nicholson’s pub, that the place had been neglected a bit. The usual decent ale range compensated somewhat, but I wasn’t quite as impressed with this place as I’d hoped to be. Certainly still worth a look, but I’m not sure it ranks alongside the city’s finest ale houses.
On 12th October 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
david hammill left this review about The Palace
not been in this pub for quite a while what a let down on a sunday night at 8 pm the pub was vertually empty i ordered a pint of roosters beer normally very good but this time it was sour the bar staff did not seemed bothered about it but they did replace it whith a differant beer but this too was rather poor this pub was always busy in the past what a shame to see a pub deteriorate so much
On 27th September 2011
- rating: 4
[User has posted 96 recommendations about 86 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Palace
A few years ago when I worked in Leeds this was my local. It's been taken over by Nicholson's since then, but the only significant change is that the pinball machine has gone. It's a two level pub that is all one room, but it's obvious where the original rooms were. Plenty of dark wood panelling etc around the pub and also behind the bar. There's also a beer garden that is lit with fairy lights at night. Most of the pub is set up for dining, but there are plenty of places to stand as well. It was pretty busy when we called in on Saturday afternoon, with lots of people eating. There's a large array of handpumps, almost all of them had an ale on. This is due to the fact that their beer festival was still on and the fact that they had a "Meet The Brewer" night on the Thursday when Thornbridge were the visitors. There were still a couple of Thornbridge beers on the bar, so I had a Wild Holly which was very good. I'd still come in here regularly if I still worked just up the road.
On 3rd February 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3222 recommendations about 3133 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Palace
The Palace is a large looking pub that is fairly close to the bus station.
Once inside here i went in the front area of the pub that was very busy so i ordered a drink that i could see this was Abbeydale Absolution which was very nice the other beers that i could see were Tetley bitter,Taylor Landlord and Bass.
If i had come in here when it was less busy i might have had a better look round.
On 5th December 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Palace
A relatively recent addition to the Nicholson's chain, the Palace is situated slightly off the main pub "circuit" and is virtually next door to St Peters Church. It's one of Nicholson's Classic Pubs.
The interior consists of a number of adjoining drinking areas around a central bar. There's an outside courtyard and some seats outside at the front. Note the large clock by the side of the bar.
Inside the pub, the normal Nicholson's information board tells us that the building dates back to 1741 and was first recorded as an inn in 1841. We also learn that originally the pub was outside the eastern boundary of Leeds. The boundary is shown by the East Bar Stone set into the churchyard wall of the Parish Church - look out for it as you walk past.
Externally, painted brickwork tells us that The Palace Hotel was formerly a Melbourne's house and, inside the pub, we can see some frosted leaded windows with a bowing courtier motif, which was originally the brewery logo, so I gather.
On the real ale side, there's 11 pumps, of which 1 was for cider. The normal Nicholson's "try before you buy" was on offer. Perhaps I should have taken them up on their offer as the Dark Star Hophead - £ 2.90p - was a bit disappointing. Interestingly, the Jaipur IPA - 5.9% - was also on offer at the same price.
The Palace is only a shortish walk from the City Centre and is worthy of consideration for a visit. You might want to combine it with a visit to The Duck and Drake, which, I gather, has improved quite a lot over the last few months.
On 15th October 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about The Palace
A fairly recent addition to the Nicholson's stable, this pub has improved from my last visit (which to be fair was a good 3 years ago). It has a good, rotating range of ales as you'd expect, and my pint of Otter Mild was in good nick. Has a pleasant outside space but it is a little out of the way for the city centre so realistically you'd only come here if you were looking for it. Decent, but there are better, more central options (Foleys, The Hop, Brewery Tap, Adelphi)
On 21st June 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Palace Public House
A large ale and food GBG2010 listed pub at the end of Kirkgate and next to the church the street takes its name from. A large open plan space with three main areas, a comfortable bar at the front, a flag floored more public bar like area at a lower level to the right and a panelled dining area to the rear. Lots of old pine tongue and grove on the bar counter and as wainscotting, the ceiling is coffered and the overall atmosphere is a mix of georgian and victorian, the place was built in 1741 and became a pub in 1841. A bit of modern stained glass and a large victorian clock on a cast iron pedestal along with a few of the usual pub type pictures completes the décor. There are 11 handpumps, one dispensing Old Rosie cider the rest with a mix of excellent micro and macro brewers ales. For completeness there was, Bass, Tetley Cask, Taylors Landlord, London Pride, Thwaites Nutty Black, Lancaster Amber, Roosters Yankee, Keltick Arthurs Ale and Thornbridge Kipling; so a good mix of types from Mild to “South Pacific Pale Ale” and strengths up to 5.2%. Four further handpumps grace the bar counter of the lower section but were not in use, this section also houses the games machines, the small TV is above the main door. A full range of kegs, mainly various brands of lager also available. The tables carry a drinks menu listing not only wine but beers with tasting notes and soft drinks, teas and coffees, very well done to the management for that rarely done nicety. The beers on sale are of course also listed on a blackboard along with the forthcoming ales. The menu also offers an interesting interpretation of the phrase “wet your whistle”, claiming ceramic drinking vessels with whistles in the handles were often used in the past and the whistle was used to attract a passing waiter, believe it if you like, I couldn't possibly comment.
On 17th January 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Palace Public House
This pub appears to be in the arse end of town and on a busy road island.
However, it is very well presented inside, largish, nicely presented bar and comfortable seating.
Even more however, the beer here is absolutely spot on. Very rare occasion when I have had the perfect pint.
Well worth a visit if you're not posh enough to worry about the surroundungs outside.
On 11th October 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]