The Griffin review: I visited the Greene King pub in Leeds city centre that is great for a pre-train pint
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At first glance, The Griffin comes across like a traditional old city centre boozer on Boar Lane.
The Greene King pub, which recently applied for permission for a major refurbishment was described as “tired and dated” and in need of refreshment to “attract a wider clientele”. But maybe that’s not so bad?
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While it’s not the place I would suggest my friends and I meet up at for a pint on a Saturday, it does serve a purpose.
After a horrible display at the group stage, few people expected great things from the Three Lions at the 2024 Euros. But as England made it onto the knock-out stage, I needed somewhere to watch the match.
Being last-minute as usual, I ended up finding a table big enough for my friends and I at The Griffin, and watched England beat Slovakia in the round of 16.
A massive plus was the easy-to-navigate website, which may come down to it being owned by a major pub chain. Too many times have I found myself calling dead phone numbers to navigating websites as old as the York wall.
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The Griffin is divided into a number of “rooms”, which might make it a bit tricky to navigate at first. But once you’ve painted a mental map of the pub, it actually benefits it greatly by creating a more familiar feeling, where having conversations with friends is easy.
There is a decent selection of drinks as well, served from a large, old-school bar. Here is your range of beers and ciders on draught including Birra Moretti, Mardi, Old Mout and whatever else you might need for a football match or a quick pint before heading to the train station.
You’ll also a find an extensive wine menu with a range of whites, reds, roses and sparkling.
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Hide AdAs for food, The Griffin serves classic pub grub and roasts along with some interesting items such as jerk chicken bao buns and flatbread wraps, all for a decent price.
The Griffin might not be the perfect pub. It might be worn down and at times rowdy. But the fact is that it serves a purpose. And maybe I’ll stop by for a pint before my next train.
Factfile
- Address: 31 Boar Ln, Leeds LS1 5DA
- Telephone: 0113 245 2803
- Opening hours: Mon-Sat, 11am-midnight; Sun, 11am-10.30pm
- Website: https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/west-yorkshire/griffin
Scores
- Drinks: 6/10
- Value: 7/10
- Atmosphere: 5/10
- Service: 7/10
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