Bar review: Leeds' Tailors Gin is a strange little speakeasy perfect for an eccentric weekend tipple

Tucked away in the Grand Arcade, Tailors Gin is a strange little speakeasy full of eccentric charm.
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As soon as you walk through the doors and push past the curtains, it is clear that Tailors Gin is one of the most authentic speakeasies you will find in Leeds.

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Dimly lit with unusual lamps, plastered with quirky framed posters and dressed up with vintage boot sale furniture, no two items in this tiny bar are the same.

Tailors Gin is a strange little speakeasy full of eccentric charm. Photo: Jonathan GawthorpeTailors Gin is a strange little speakeasy full of eccentric charm. Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Tailors Gin is a strange little speakeasy full of eccentric charm. Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
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Each table, donned with a bell you are instructed to ring for service, is squeezed in between grandiose chairs and stools, with a waiter handing you a binded book with information on how to order drinks inside.

Breaking the prohibition illusion is the QR code you need to scan to see the menu, and I can't help but wish those heavy duty books contained a full list of drinks so as to not pull you from the retro feel the bar is going for.

Yet when our drinks arrive, an amaretto sour and Tailors speciality 'mangotini', the minor disappointment of being pulled out of a 1920s fantasy is washed away.

This is not my first time at Tailors, but it has been a while since I stepped through their doors.

A Tailors 'Mangotini' and an Amaretto sour served at Tailors Gin.A Tailors 'Mangotini' and an Amaretto sour served at Tailors Gin.
A Tailors 'Mangotini' and an Amaretto sour served at Tailors Gin.
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Despite a good year or so having gone by I have not forgotten how incredible the drinks are, always brought out in the most beautiful tumblers and goblets.

The first sip is where true pleasure kicks in; my amaretto sour creamy yet sharp, topped with a glacier cherry I enjoy at the end.

The mangotini seems to find the right balance between sour and sweet, not leaving that sickly taste in your mouth after a sip too many.

While we sit back in chairs twice our size, cocktails in hand, to our surprise we watch as customers stand up and head towards the piano for an open mic night.

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For the rest of our stay at Tailors, the music switches from speakeasy versions of pop songs playing through the speakers to acoustic renditions of much-loved hits.

Despite such a niche appeal there seems to be a little community here, gathering each week to enjoy the bunker-esque bar and a sing-along with friends.

It is precisely because of this closeness that passers by can duck their head in, kick back and watch the world go by, the intimate setting of a bar that fits no more than 30 forcing you to meet eyes from across the room and make small connections.

Factfile

Address: 23-24 Grand Arcade, Leeds LS1 6PG

Telephone: 0113 450 6527

Opening hours: Thursdays 6pm-11pm, Fridays and Saturdays 6pm-3am, Sundays 6pm-11pm.

Website: tailorsgin.com

Scores

Drinks: 9/10

Value: 8/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Service: 8/10

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