Blue Boar
What's it good for?
Very well kept beer and good pub grub.
Where is it?
The Blue Boar occupies a premises close to Clifford's Tower with a very mixed past. Historically it was the penultimate resting place of Dick Turpin, charging punters to view the body in the cellar.
In more recent times in its previous incarnation as Little John's I remember it as one of the few places you could easily get served when I was under-age, and then it being one of York's liveliest, late-opening gay bars, closing down after multiple drug-related stories blighted the previous tenure.
Refurbishment, new management, and re-branding have completely changed the fortunes of the pub for the better.
What's it all about?
There's nothing fancy here: the Blue Boar is a good, honest, new pub serving great beer and hearty meals. I wouldn't describe the main bar as that welcoming or cosy, it is a very functional space with high tables and stools on wooden flooring beside a slightly awkward feeling bar crow-barred into a small space.
There is another larger space down some steps with plenty of small stools and bench seating that looks out onto the street and into the courtyard at the front.
If you take your drinks and descend into the recently refurbished cellar you'll find a real "hidden gem". Quiet, dimly lit, and massive leather sofas have changed what was a sparse room with a pool table into a sanctuary of comfort and relaxation.
As a perfect bolt-hole in town if you can bag a seat I'm loathed to have to give this away as space is limited down there, it's great to see the Blue Boar evolving and this is a fantastic addition to York centre.
What's on the bar?
5 hand-pulls, 2 from Timothy Taylor and the rest guests. A taster flight of three 1/3 pints is available for £3.50. The draught options seem to change all the time but you'll find a Fosters/1664 type lager and a Thatcher's/Aspall's type cider. I've had them all here at various points in time. There was no Guinness which was a surprise.
Do they serve food?
Food is served from 12:00 until 21:30 and is typical pub fare. Large "Turpin Burgers" with fries are the stand-out favourite, but plenty of options.
Is it accessible / allow kids / dogs?
There are a few steps to get in the front door and I neglected to find out about kids or dogs, apologies. I'll find out next time - or give me a shout and I'll post an update.
Will you go again?
Yes, The Blue Boar serves good beer in a decent setting
1 Comment
Read the review and chose this would be a good pub even though it was on the other side of York from us. Sadly when we got there there was no pool table and hadn’t been one for months. However there were tvs and a dart board so we survived. The food was a lot better than we expected from a pub and was the best meal we have had in york. The only problem holding the back from 5 stars is the scampi was scarce. I would recommend everything about this pub except for the scampi