Black Bull, Riponback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A real shame about this pub. My sister went to Ripon/St John of York teacher training college in Ripon in the late 1970s and I used to visit her during the 3 years she was there and we went to the Bull almost daily for food which, in them days, was good and cheap. The first time I had butter on my bread when having soup, buttered bread never heard of at home. The pub had good Theakstons ales and decent lagers and was full of character and charm and frequented by a mix of students and local farmers. A real shame it's gone 'to the dogs'.
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New management and re-named So bar & eats, this large pub and dining room sits in a prominent position in the centre of town.
The wife and I popped in for lunch on a Saturday.
As you enter through the main door the pub is split into two, with a dining area with table service to your left with the traditional bar to your right, with its attractive tiled floor just beyond the small bar.
3 ales on the hand pumps which were Rudgate Chieftain, Theakston Best and Tapped Brew Co’s Rodeo @ 4.2% which was my choice. There’s also a good selection of European lagers & Thatcher's Gold cider.
We sat in the main bar area where there are a couple of high tables and a few comfy leather chairs along with the standard tables and chairs. The food was good and very fairly priced.
During our hour here the pub got quite busy mainly with couples, music played and the bar man couldn't do enough for you.
Decent pub with good food and service, recommended.
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Called in for a drink, didn't stay long. The stench of toilets, mucky seats, dirty floor, uninterested staff, language of customers. Never thorght it could get any worse than last time but it has, avoid it if you can.
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Went in a couple of months back and had a very average lunch. Staff didn't seem to know what they were doing. Place could've done with a clean up!
Bagsy - 13 Sep 2012 10:36 |
No beer on at all!! Lager tasted like cider. Total waste of what could be a nice old style boozer. Uninterested staff. Dirty and run down and smells. Will not return!
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Seems to be duelling with the Hornblower Tavern for the title of worst pub in Ripon. serious smell of decline pervades, among numerous other unpleasant aromas, which unfortunately included my pint!
Don't, just don't!!!
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What can I say looks ok from outside, distressed and unkempt inside. Female staff was pleasant enough, The guy who looked like the chef,looked as tired as the interior. The food was by far the worst I have ever experienced in my lifetime. Now one may say that you get what you pay for, in a buy one get one free or two for �10 enviroment but having tried a few establishments in my local area with this label attached its not always the case. that because its cheap, its just thrown on the plate and any old last weeks ham and soggy chips will do. In the case of this pub the latter was sadly true the egg was fried within an inch of its life and would have easily bounced like rubber had I attempted to throw to the floor and the ham was tasteless and frankly the colour of it was suspect. The chips where not bad and if anyone had been inclined for more, they would have found an array of them scattered under tables where previous customers had dropped them. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!
lol3d - 18 Jun 2011 15:06 |
I recently went to ripon to go and see the catherdral and decides to have a wonder round tne town and i saw the black bull and it looked a wonderful pub so decided to go in for a bite to eat. The staff were very polite and helpful and the service was great the manager was very chatty and always had a pleasant smile on his face which is very welcoming.
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At five to twelve five of us ordered meals, two were served after about quarter of an hour, the third about 5 mins after then the other two almost three quarters of an hour after that, As we had to be on our coach by one the last two had to abandon their meals half eaten.
When we arrived there was only one other gentleman in and he was served just as we ordered, so no one could say they were too busy!
In all the meal content of the first three meals was good but the other two were very poor.
Certainly will not be visiting this place again, dark and dingy and I have a hole in my cardigan where it was clicked on the wall.
Very poor service and by not too helpful staff.. very casual. almost surly.
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Can't get excited about this place - tremendous location and a very nice building, but sullied with numerous fruit machines, tacky plastic menus, plasma screens and surly bar staff.
The one saving grace was that it had an Acorn Brewery guest ale on.
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After reading the reviews I thorght it can't be that bad, the beer garden always seemed busy! But when I went in it took ages to get served the place had an unpleasent aroma (toilets). I was going to order food but on what I saw being served I changed my mind. The music was far too loud for my liking and the language from the people stood at the bar, all I can say is thank good I didn't take my kids in or my mother.
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I only wish I had read the reviews on this site before visiting this pub! We visited looking forward to a sunday roast after attending the classic car show at ripon racecourse. We do not know Ripon, so just headed for the main square. On entering the staff were polite, but as commented, not overly welcoming. we ordered two lamb dinners. after waiting about half an hour, the meals came. a couple on another table asked the waiter about their food as they had ordered 20 mins before we had arrived!! when our meal eventually arrived, I had to chase around for a knife and fork, then mint sauce etc. when i asked staff they went away and came back about 5 mins later. the meals were burnt and inedible. I found a waitress and explained I was unhappy. then i discovered we had pork. my partner cant eat pork so i was just happy i had tasted the meal and not him. the plates were taken and they came back with lamb, but the same burnt veg as they didnt have anything else left! the other couple eventually got their sausages after one hour wait. Half way through trying to eat the meal (i was very hungry!), I found a hair on my plate. I went to the bar to ask for the manager who i was told was away but they would get the relief manager to come over to me. we waited another 10 mins and then i explained everything when he came to the table. although polite, he appeared very apathetic and just asked if he could get us anything else. i asked if we could have a refund and he said no as the manager had the keys or whatever for the till/safe! he offered us a free drink of lager and shandy. we accepted this as it seemed to be the best we were going to get. staff also kept coming out of kitchen and using their mobiles then going back in. they were also rolling their own cigs behind the bar whilst serving. it was our first (and the other couple next to us) visit and needless to say, our last. Am seriously considering contacting trading standards and writing to manager. You have been warned!
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New landlord. What an improvement !!!!
Keep up the good work...food, beer great. The Black Bull is back..Thankyou.
Ps like the new menu, great value, 2 homemade sausage meals and 2 desserts for only �13 !!
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me and my 3 children went to this pub on our recent camping trip,and its a wonder we are here to tell about it ...we wanted some pub food for our lunch,and we came across this pub,the barmaid was friendly enough,but it seemed to be an effort to serve us...we ordered food,i ordered sausage and mash with veg,and omg,i got overdone sausage,and POWDERED MASH,so my children had ordered the burgers,so they said i could have a bite of theres as such,but they came,the chips were frozen,and half of them still were,and the burgers were red in the middle,uncooked!!! i paid �15.00 for that meal,and i was so upset,we left the lot and went out to a nearby sainsburys for some snack food...i wouldnt recommend this place until they change the chef and staff...
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Two bar pub in city centre, part of Ripon's limited drinking circuit. Average food and below average beer, Theakstons XB, Old Peculier and Black Sheep bitter plus the S&N range of lagers, smooths and ciders . Public bar called vaults and a lounge, the lounge still retains some of the former panelled grandeur of this ex coaching inn. Service is polite rather than warm but efficient enough. The beer is competently kept but definitely nowt special. A good mix of clientele, a dozen young women and a noisy gaggle of unwittingly funny OAP bikers in the lounge, plus some blokes in the vaults on my last visit. Food available most of the time as evidenced by the leaving on tables of (clean) cutlery most of the time in the lounge.
anonymous - 7 Feb 2009 18:29 |
All far too laid back in my opinion.
Everything seemed too much effort.
Long delay seen when folks ordered food.
Don't think we'll be back.
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Not impressed; called in briefly after visit to Fountains Abbey; beer horrible (Why do they sell bitter "extra cold"!)staff initially ignored us.
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It has been a while since I have been there and I hope things have improved. It is a very nice pub, but had a very unfriendly staff. The beer selection was not large but it was very adequately kept.
saiga - 15 Dec 2005 12:26 |
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