please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Just reopened after an extensive refurb looks fine plenty of cask choice
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A great pub spoiled by its location down a scruffy litter strewn back alley full of overflowing wheelie bins, rubbish, and semi derelict buildings .
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It's very hard to pick faults with the Fernandes. They always have 8 or so beers on that are excellently kept. The beer has no equal in Wakefield. Their own Fernandes beers are often the best of the bunch, and they have lots of that foreign bottled stuff that gets Lady Drunk excited enough to want to come here without me twisting her arm. The decor is heavily wooded and slightly dingy, which is approved of. There are lots of pub signs hanging around the place for reasons not yet established. It's the best in Wakefield. Come here. 10/10.
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carpet smells of urine.
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Visited here last month, excellent pub, good beer and friendly.
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Perfect drinking pub five mins from the station. Beer in perfect condition. Friendly landlord and clientele. Pubs don't come much better really.
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Dived in whilst walking from Kirkgate rail station to Westgate, and only had time for a quick pint. Busy for a Saturday tea time, and with an excellent selection of predominantly local ales upstairs. Mainly continental beers on offer downstairs but a pint of Ossett ale also available here. Well worth another and longer visit, now I know where it is.
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I never get to go to this lovely boozer because they don't let the kids in. I can understand that but it doesn't stop me quitely weeping as I trudge past holding their bedraggled hands.
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An excellent pub serving good choice of real ales and reasonable prices; an oasis in the desert!
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Brilliant pub, usually has 10 beers on tap, mix of Fernades and Ossett Brewery plus plenty of guests. They also have a European bar, with you guessed it lots of German and Belgium beers. They do a nice range of Ciders too. Best pub in the City Centre (though Harry's Bar, The Hop and Henry Boons are all very good).
Regular live music, we often go to the Folk stuff.
No food though, but plenty of restaurants nearby.
Bit hard to find on your first visit, as its tucked away on a side St.
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Fernandes just gets better and better. If you're a fan of pale and hoppy beers this is the place to go.
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A bierkeller-style effort based over two floors which is also a brewpub, home to the Fernandes brewery. It�s not an obvious place to find but persevere and you shall be rewarded. The first floor is foreign beer; 12 on draught - though only open on busy nights - whilst the upper floor up an unassuming wooden staircase is the ale with some good Belgian bottles in the fridge and fruit wines. There's a selection of 8 ales mainly drawn from the Fernandes brewery and Ossett, who have recently taken the place over, with a couple of guests plus a cider. The beer was excellent quality (the Nelson's IPA was a pint of grapefruity goodness and Hail to the Tsar was a quality brew). CAMRA awards everywhere, no surprise really.
Interior-wise, it's wood paneling, exposed beams and a roof structure that looks like some sort of old mill though don't quote me on that. Plenty of comfy seats to settle down and enjoy a good long session. The barman looked as rough as a docker but was good at his job. I didn�t spot a TV, so it's a nice place to meet up with friends for a chat.
A cracker and well-worth a journey from the Leeds-Sheffield area to try. Even the thought of having to return to Kirkgate BR (officially the worst station in Britain, what a hole) to get the train back seemed not so bad after a few here...!
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Fernandes brews still very interesting and diverse, good to see that Ossett ales havent taken over the bar. Very reasonable ale prices.
Great pub with great ales always in good nick, Cheers.
brisk - 28 Jul 2009 13:37 |
with reference to recent reviews, we regularly travel midweek from Warrington on the train to visit pubs that are recommended in various guides.We find it frustrating to find pubs closed during the day .Our opinion is that prospective visitors will be put off.We now check all opening times before making any long journeys.
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Been away so just seen the reply from Sharp. Fair enough, but if you open funny hours, and 4 o'clock in the afternoon is a very funny hour to open, and do not say so on your door your are going to really annoy people who have walked far, crossed busy roads, and had to ask in shops about where you actually are, only to find you locked up with nothing to say whenyou will open.
Any other idiot running a pub who thinks what I am saying is wrong needs a plan B for their career. Living on a reputation is fine, but good will is easily lost by thoughtlessness.
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bradwan's statement is very inaccurate and I hope it hasn't put off any prospective visitors- it opens every day, 4-11pm during the week and up until 1am at weekends depending on how busy it is. The Bier Keller opens Wednesday-Sunday IIRC.
Sharp - 28 Apr 2009 19:33 |
I walked well out of my way to have a drink here after a morning meeting but it was shut. Like other pubs in Wakefield, this one, it seems, only opens Friday in the week, but I only found that out by asking in the nearby music shop! There is nothing to say a boozer should open every day, but if it doesn't, but does not say so on the door, it is being run by an idiot.
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Great pub for beer drinkers. It is difficult to locate unless you know where it is as it's hidden away, but it's worth the effort to find. I was there tonight at 5ish, and it was quite busy then and got busier. I think the main beer hall is alcking a bit in atmosphere though as it's a high, rectangular room. Beer makes up for it though. Recommended
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Not even the local shopkeepers could tell us where this place was. It's tucked down a narrow street just off Kirkgate. The first floor bar features mostly continental lagers, whilst the second floor bar has several different real ales. During our visit, they were serving Oldershaw High Dyke, Ossett Pale Gold, Ossett Gold Rush, Fullers ESB, Fernandes Double Six, Fernandes Challenger, Fernandes Liberty Lager, Fernandes Orange & Ginger, Black Country BFG and Shugborough Lordships Gold. There are also two real ciders on offer - 1 in each bar. The upstairs cider was Broadoak Moonshine. A great place to while away a few hours not too far from the centre of Wakefield.
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Sensational. That is all.
Sharp - 13 Nov 2008 23:06 |
2 everchanging real ciders 11 amazing real ales loads of continental beers on draught as well as bottled. the pub is on 3 floors. top bar friendly real ale pub great staff that know how to pull a pint. middle floor bier keller with continental smorgesbords (meat & cheese).basement brews own beer.hidden gem needs putting on the real ale map
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An absolute gem of a pub, serves fresh tasty local beers all well priced as well as amazing imported beers. One of my favorite pubs. Worth travelling to, I would come up from London for a weekend and make sure that it was always ended with a beer or two at Fernandes, on a sunday the landlord also brings out the most amazing bread and dripping as well as some pork pies - utterly amazing!
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So far, it would appear to be business as usual at the Fernandes Tap. The actual number of handpumps has increased from six to eight. Beer quality remains high. Fernandes beers will continue to be available, but they will not be brewed by David James. Two to three Ossett beers will always be on the pumps, which still allows for guest beers. Marvellous!
Some refurbishment work has begun.
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STOP PRESS: Fernandes Tap to be taken over by Ossett Brewery!
If you wish to visit the Fernandes Tap in its current form,then get your skates on.You have two weeks before Ossett Brewery take control on July 30th. The James' are moving on to start a new micro in Filey- 'Five Leys'.
If the Tap is run along the lines of the excellent,Ossett owned, 'Rat and Ratchet' in Huddersfield then it should continue to be a fine pub.However, it's definitely the end of an era.I suspect we'll never see the same varity of guest ales again. I hope to be proved wrong.
I'll review the new set up ASAP.
If, by some chance in a million, David and Maureen read this, many thanks for the best beer I have ever drunk.It has been consistently good since the day you opened.
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As 'Alerover' hinted at, the casual visitor to the Tap must approach feeling slightly wary.There's more than a whiff of a villains drinking den as you climb the staircase.Please persevere.
Once inside you enter a small(ish) one roomed bar that has been cleverly partitioned into three drinking areas by cleverly using large pub signs as screens. These and the exposed beams give the place great character.
Most importantly For BITE members the quality of the beers is second to none and this is reflected in the numerous CAMRA awards. The Fernandes beers are brewed about twelve feet below the bar, so they don't have far to travel! There are usually two 'home' beers on the six pumps, the others are drawn from far and wide.
Although David James brews a broad spectrum of beers, its probably fair to say the pale, hoppy and citrussy 'golden ales' are the punters' favourites eg 'Centennial', 'Cascade', 'Ale to the Tsar'. A brew called 'Boy's Bitter' has incredible flavour for around 3.2% and is a real testament to the brewer's art. By contrast the dark chocolatety 'Malt Shovel Mild' is also excellent.
The pub also keeps high quality lagers, Belgian bottled beers and fruit wines and beers.The choice of table wines is limited.
Food is virtually non-existant, usually limited to sandwiches on a Friday lunchtime, although with extended weekend hours I think hot-dogs are some times provided.
There has been a strict no TV and piped music policy in the pub, although the latter is starting to be eroded.The USP has always been good beer and good conversation.There is occasional live music with bands often comprised of pub regulars.
Staff are friendly and knowledgeable.
In short a cracking real ale paradise.To steal shamelessly from another BITE member, all that's missing is St. Peter at the door!
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The scruffy alley, then the plain staircase; open the door and what a surprise. A superb, one-roomed bar, packed with character. Great beers and a collection of old pub signs make this an outstanding contribution to the Wakefield drinking experience. Although awkward to find, located between the shopping centre and Kirkgate station, it�s a must visit when in the city.
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And not to forget the excellent selection of Belgian bottled beers too.
Top pub away from the rip-off joints in the Westgate.
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Absolutely fantastic pub; the bar is up a staircase above the brewery itself. Six ales and a cider on handpump, including some from other breweries even though it's the Fernandes Brewery Tap. Fernandes' own Dragon Slayer Stout was nectar. Unfortunately I only had time for two before leaving for the rugby ground. Free black pudding and pork pie slices on a Sunday lunchtime were very tasty too!
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This pub must be the nearest thing to Heaven
daveL - 29 Aug 2005 12:33 |
excellent atmosphere very friendly
alan - 19 Oct 2004 20:52 |
If this is the Fernandes brewery whose beer I had in the St Albans Beer Festival, then well done. One of their beers is 2.5 (yes two and a half)% Abv, and is packed with great flavours nonetheless! Worth seekin out definitley
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fantasic real ale pub, no frills except for the old inn signs which adorn the walls.
Lee - 28 Sep 2003 14:00 |
Consistently excellent beer quality, includes real ales brewed on the premises. Worth seeking out.
John - 5 Sep 2003 13:42 |
Brilliant real ale paradise. Regularly (and rightly) wins CAMRA awards. Also has a large selection of Belgian beers. A must try pub.
Mike Ryan - 18 Apr 2003 10:32 |
Started as a home brew shop and turned into a brew pub. A large selection of real ales always on tap and constantly changing.
David - 29 Sep 2002 11:02 |
