The Owl Inn Rodley — Restaurant in Leeds

This place has changed ownership so many times over the last 8 years or so that I've been going. Each owner has brought positive and negative changes in different areas, always resulting in a different experience each time. 1st time I visited the food was great as were the choice of drinks. Throughout the different owners, the food has either been poor and the drinks choice good or great food with poor drinks. It has always felt each time that the target customers had changed, from cosy smart looking to a rough pub with no atmosphere. The Barge across the road hasn't ever changed and I always know what to expect whereas The Owl has been different every time over the years, never any consistency. I noticed back at the start of January that a small window in the men's toilets was smashed with a big hole in it. I reported it to the bar maid there at the time in case they didn't know but as of 23rd march it's still smashed. Recent visits look like the current owner is taking it in the right direction, with the place being repainted, new menu's and a fairly decent choice of drinks (I do think there needs to be more choice of ales again). There's a lot still for them to do which could explain the broken window but I believe that's a result of previous owners letting the place go downhill, but as I mentioned, recent improvements look promising. Hope this place can be returned to its...

Not a great advert for a place to dine.

After hearing good reviews about The Owl, we decided to book the venue to accommodate 45 people for a wake following the funeral of my mother.

When we arrived we were asked to move to a small area at the rear of three pub which could maybe fit a dozen or so. My sister asked to be moved to a more suitable locaion so they asked the current diners in the main area to move out to accommodate us all! They didn't appear to be too happy.

The buffet food was average to be fair with defrosted, soggy quiche being the talking point and dozens of sandwiches left to dry up.

Needless to say there was plenty of food left over at the end of the event which we asked to be bagged up then threw away in the skip. Certainly not worth the £7.50 per head we were charged.

Would not recommend for a...

Booked a family meal. Booked for 5.45pm. I ordered the Sunday dinner. When it came out, the veg looked dry, the gammon was small dried up pieces and the Yorkshire pudding burnt. The meal was part cold and part luke warm. I complained and they took it back to reheat it. It came back in the same state. Apparently the waitress told my daughter that as they stopped serving at 6pm, they had held back some of the Sunday lunch in case anyone wanted any. In other words it wasn't freshly cooked. I did get a refund and a free drink, and ended up eating some of my daughters leftover fish and chips . Would not recommend this pub for food and certainly won't...