Fancy Hank's Bar & Kitchen — Restaurant in Great Britain

Disappointing. Don't know if the chef was having an off day or something but our experience really wasn't good at all. Shrimp small plate was by far the best thing we had, and to be fair it was exceptional. Halloumi fries where also really tasty but really lacked the sauce they came with so I had to buy more. Which is another gripe, the 'hot honey' just tasted like very normal honey, which is nice but it's not what we asked for which is a shame. The biggest let down by far was the burgers. The patties where genuinely flavourless, and it pains me to say it because based on the reviews (and frankly the prices) we were really hoping for something very good. The tiniest piece of rib that came on top of it was nice, but it really was a minescule portion. The chips that came on the side tasted frozen frankly, and just overall not impressed with the quality of our meals. The cocktail my partner got was very good however, and the lad behind the bar looks like he has a good time making them and on out experience is very good at it. The kicker was a 10% "optional" service charge the bartender politely told us could be took off when we paid, only for the owner or host or manager of the night to come over and immediately put the full total without asking if we'd like to pay the service charge then stare at me. A discreet way of forcing a customers hand, not a fan at all. A last bit was just odd to me, the atmosphere was very strange. Opposite me was a topless picture or edited picture or artwork of some kind of a topless woman, and yet there was children running around right by it. Also the occasional banging from some poor bloke having to carry a full keg up a flight of stairs in the dining room, crashing everytime he got it up a step. And just as a final hoorah it took 45 minutes for out meal to come! It wasn't even that busy they had about 3 tables in, cooked from fresh I could stomach but given the dismal quality it was just salt in the wound. Overall just stunned as to how somewhere so highly rated and talked of could perform quite this...

Not so fancy after all. We were very excited to find a highly recommended Southern American restaurant during our trip to York but were left massively disappointed. We pre-booked a table, but when we arrived, we were sat right next to the toilets and by the path the staff had to take to and from the kitchen, which wasn't the best spot to be given. We did request a seat change, but were told we couldn't move tables despite several tables being free. The worst part was definitely the food. We love mac & cheese, but this was possibly the worst one I'd ever been served. Cold on the bottom, there was no sauce to speak of, the pasta was squidgy and devoid of flavour, and despite it looking like there was plenty of cheese on top, it was bland with a cardboardy aftertaste. I had to ask for salt to make it palatable, which isn't something I usually do. Unfortunately we were very hungry and had only a little time before a long walking tour, so didn't have the option to switch to a different restaurant. We thought we'd give the desserts a try at least, as they had s'mores waffles on the menu. This turned out to be an awful decision. The waffle was soggy and stale, definitely not fresh, and it was topped with overly sweet marshmallows smothered in Nutella (why? S'mores need Hersheys!) and topped with Oreos? Not only did this make no sense, it also tasted awful and way to sweet. We couldn't finish this abomination between the two of us. You're better off just downing a jar of Nutella on its own, probably easier on the stomach too. Service was fine, but nothing to write home about, and decor seemed a bit dated as well. Overall a waste of time and money, this is definitely NOT authentic Southern style American food, and it seems the chef hasn't discovered spices, or...

Just “OK”

Ate here before going on a walking tour of York. We booked due to the mostly positive over 4* reviews.

There is nothing really wrong with this place, it is just “OK”. We had sharing nachos, chicken tenders, wings etc…. The food was very bland and had little flavour but wasn’t poor quality meat and didn’t appear to be bulk purchased (apart from the wings). For a Mexican style meal, the nachos and pulled beef had no spice to them at all. My daughter said the tenders were not overcooked, had a light fluffy batter but had no flavour.

One major negative is the poor choice of drinks. No gluten free beer at all! Most pubs and bars in York stock at least Peroni Gluten Free, so clearly the brewery and sales reps are present in the city. Why no option?

The decor inside is very basic and in need a of a spruce up but again it’s clean and ok. The menu, surroundings and price made it popular for families with young children. For such a central location, I think people would pay a little more for better decor and a better atmosphere. What can’t be faulted is the service. All staff were friendly, quick to respond and very efficient. Prices are almost too reasonable and that is maybe what’s holding back investment in the place.

Fat Hanks is lacking an identity. Go Mexican, Cuban, Spanish, American diner or something similar. Add a bit more decor for atmosphere and put some flavour in the menu and you’re onto a winner given the location and the great staff you have. Oh and for goodness sake, it’s 2025, stock some gluten free drinks please! Cider doesn’t...