Golden Fleece York — Restaurant in England

I'll start by saying I felt really sorry for the manager on shift. Apart from the kitchen staff it seemed like she was on her own. Bar, serving food & collecting empty plates & glasses. Don't normally bother with reviews, but we were a bit annoyed if I'm honest. Not very impressed with our recent visit. Went in twice the same day. Had a drink at lunch time, that was okay. Asked the guy behind the bar if he could book us in for tea time. Told we should be okay, but we asked him to reserve a table anyway for us. Later on... pretty busy, couldn't see our name on a table. Hadn't been done! Back of the pub, youngish girl with dark hair. Asked her, She got the manager to speak to us. Told the "system" doesn't always update. We said we booked in with the guy on the bar earlier that day. Manager did manage to sort us a table at the front. No harm done. Back to the bar to order drinks & food. Same girl serving couldn't have moved much slower. Took ages to get served. Manager jumped on to take over. Ordered drinks, meals and desserts to save waiting again. Food came out at a decent speed saying it was busy. Food was alright. Chips were over done, but okay besides that. Has been much better in the past. Waited on puddings. A few other tables got served. Told it wouldn't be too much longer. Approx another ½ hour passed, getting on for 2 hours after we went in to eat. Told that 2 of the desserts were no longer available, so we just asked to get a refund on them and left. We heard the lady on the table next to us complaining about their food as well. Maybe just having a bad day at the pub. Shame, because it spoilt part of our visit to York.

We did look at booking a room to stay over, but really glad we didn't. If you can't get ½ decent service at the bar, dread to think.

Very lucky to have a place that it is in a prime location. If not for the ghost stories it would struggle.

Felt sorry for the manager. Not much support from her staff it seems.

Visit every time we come to York, food & service have always been amazing in the past, but will probably skip it next time & spend elsewhere.

*Thank you for the reply. But, it doesn't excuse the guy on at lunchtime being lazy who couldn't even be bothered to book us a table. Later on, new staff or not, She needed another gear or two. Also a new menu doesn't justify spending almost 3 hours in a place just for a main course. And then to be told "desserts wouldn't take to much longer" to then be told 30mins later that you had run out. Not good enough. Had a lot of money out of us over two days. If they were my staff they would have had a foot up their backsides the day after getting a...

I went as part of a group of 16 for a Christmas meal on 16th December. I have coeliac disease, so sticking to a gluten-free diet is essential for me. I wasn't entirely sure that they could cater for me but the person who replied on Facebook advised my boyfriend that there was an allergen menu available on the website - I left him do the majority of the research!

I chose my meals from the limited options, but was happy with what I was getting. On the day, I asked if the bread with the tomato soup was gluten-free. They double-checked and said everyone's bread with the starter was gluten-free. One waiter said he wasn't sure if my pudding would be gluten-free, but he double-checked and it definitely would be.

The only part that was awkward was when my main arrived. Apparently the allergen menu - which showed no allergens at all for the Christmas dinner (with beef, I believe) - hadn't been filled in correctly, and it actually contained various allergens (e.g. in the Yorkshire pudding). The waiter went back to the kitchen to confirm, and then took the meal away, telling me they had no more food from the set menu but that I could choose something off the main menu instead. I said that apart from having to be gluten-free, I ate anything, and to just surprise me - I felt this would lessen the inconvenience for the kitchen, and would save me having to study the allergens beforehand.

My new main arrived, and all I saw at first was a dry jacket potato - I had a moment of panic as I sat amongst people tucking into a delicious-looking Christmas dinner. However, as the plate came towards me I realised there were two big chunks of butter, lots of peas, half a grilled tomato and a lovely piece of chicken breast wrapped in bacon, cheese and smothered in barbecue sauce. It turned out to be a really nice meal and I have zero regrets! My only concern would be with the allergen menu, but I believe that this is from 'higher' than the Golden Fleece itself, so I can't really hold that against them - and the waiters and kitchen staff were very patient with me and good at passing on the relevant information.

The building itself is very narrow, and full of character. We sat upstairs, and the room sloped downwards right around the edge. My table was slightly tilted, which was fine for most of the time, except when I'd piled our pudding-bowls up, not realising they were shuffling ever-closer to the edge until it was too late. I looked in horror at the upturned dishes on the floor, but somehow they all survived the drop!

Overall I would recommend the Golden Fleece and will hopefully be back again one day! (Sorry in advance to the...

We recently visited the beautiful, historic city of York, and were spoiled for choice when it came to pubs, but the Golden Fleece is an absolute must-visit. We'd heard it was one of the most haunted pubs in England, and our friend had recommended it for its unique atmosphere. Honestly, he was right, it lived up to the hype.

If you go you can't miss it, tucked away just a stone's throw from The Shambles. It's an old, crooked building with a charming, slightly-weathered facade. The hanging baskets and the weathered gold-painted fleece sign are a nice touch. But it all happens when you get inside.

The interior is everything you'd expect for from a centuries-old pub. Low ceilings with dark wooden beams, uneven floors that tell a tale of countless footsteps, ( which explains the sticky floor 😁) and a cozy fireplace that was roaring when we visited. It's got that old-world charm that so many places try to replicate by ‘staging them’ but can't. You can almost feel the history seeping out of the walls. It was a bit small, so it can get crowded when it’s busy, but that only adds to the convivial, bustling atmosphere. We managed to grab a table tucked away in a corner, next to ‘George’ 🤣🤣, it’s a perfect for people-watching and soaking it all in. The staff were friendly and efficient, and we were served our drinks quickly. The beer selection was excellent, but not so great in the spirits area ( no pun ntended ). We also saw people getting food, and it looked like good, honest pub grub, but we’d already had lunch, but it smelled nice.

Now, for the "haunted" part. While we didn't see any full-blown ghosts, like something out of ghostbusters, but there was a definite 'energy' about the place. It's not spooky in a scary wooooo way; it's more of a feeling of being in a place with a lot of history. The decor adds to this – there's all sorts of quirky stuff and old photos on the walls. It just feels... lived-in.

Overall, I'd highly recommend The Golden Fleece to any visitor to York. It’s not just a pub; it's one of the pubs on the spooky pub tour’ and as such has an experience. Whether you're a history buff, a fan of classic pubs, or just looking for a cozy place for a pint after a day running up and The Shambles, this place ticks all the boxes. It's authentic, atmospheric, and genuinely one-of-a-kind. Don't miss it and leave York...