Quick info
About The Punch Bowl
On Stonegate in York, The Punch Bowl is a traditional pub that once served as a favoured drinking place of 17th-century Whig party members. The kitchen runs a menu that includes a Beef Rib, Shin and Brisket pie, a fish pie made with salmon and prawns in a cheese sauce, and fish and chips, with table service bringing food out hot and quickly. Breakfast is also served, and Proper Job Ale is on tap. At Christmas, the pub puts on a three-course lunch with decorations and table games. It's a walk-in setup with no reservations, and the traditional setting can get crowded enough that a wait for a seat is common.
Good to know
“Traditional pub, favoured drinking place of 17th-century Whig party members, and reputedly haunted.”
- ReservationsWalk-in only
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention christmas day lunch, beef rib shin brisket pie, fish pie and fish and chips.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention christmas day lunch, beef rib shin brisket pie, fish pie and fish and chips.
Customer Review Summary
Diners repeatedly single out the Christmas Day lunch here, describing a three course meal, beautifully decorated tables, and games laid on for a fully booked room, with staff praised for accommodating a large family group with mixed dietary needs seamlessly. Close behind, specific dishes draw consistent praise: the Beef Rib, Shin & Brisket pie, a fish pie loaded with salmon and prawns in cheese sauce, and what one reviewer calls the best fish and chips they've had, alongside a well regarded breakfast on a station stopover. Several also note well kept ales and ciders and staff across the floor described as friendly and helpful. One discordant note comes from a Saturday night bar visit, where a reviewer ordered two vodka and cokes with no ice, received them heavily iced after repeating the request, and felt £12.40 was poor value for the experience. Reviewers also mention it can get crowded, with advance booking suggested as a workaround.
Customer Review Summary
Diners repeatedly single out the Christmas Day lunch here, describing a three course meal, beautifully decorated tables, and games laid on for a fully booked room, with staff praised for accommodating a large family group with mixed dietary needs seamlessly. Close behind, specific dishes draw consistent praise: the Beef Rib, Shin & Brisket pie, a fish pie loaded with salmon and prawns in cheese sauce, and what one reviewer calls the best fish and chips they've had, alongside a well regarded breakfast on a station stopover. Several also note well kept ales and ciders and staff across the floor described as friendly and helpful. One discordant note comes from a Saturday night bar visit, where a reviewer ordered two vodka and cokes with no ice, received them heavily iced after repeating the request, and felt £12.40 was poor value for the experience. Reviewers also mention it can get crowded, with advance booking suggested as a workaround.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Great visit here! My friend from Australia was visiting and I wanted to show him an old English pub, The punch bowl ticked all the boxes! Friendly staff, authentic setting, good food and drinks! Casey and Chera were very nice and helpful, we asked for drinks advice and they were very informative! Thanks for a lovely visit ladies :)”
- Google user
“Very friendly efficient staff, good choice of ales and lagers. The food was exceptional. I can highly recommend the Beef Rib, Shin & Brisket pie (😱 OMG). Great atmosphere, a lovely lunchtime. Think we might come back tomorrow for different items on the menu.”
- Google user
“We stopped got breakfast on our way to the station! One of the best Wetherspoons breakfasts we have had. Manager told us the chef was kayden. All the staff very nice and helpful”
- Google user
“As we don't have Nicholson pubs around the westcountry decided to try the menu. Well the fish pie was a firm favorite. Hot plenty of salmon and prawns with a delicious cheese sauce. Glad i ordered. Friendly staff. Well conditioned proper Job Ale.”
- Google user
“Amazing! 10/10 The service and staff are great — the best fish and chips I’ve ever had. Cozy atmosphere and good music too. (And that’s how a cider should be served!) 🥰 Thank you.”
Location
Bars near The Punch Bowl
- 0.1 mi£10–20
pie mash and peas, craft beer selection, coffee stout
- Valhalla York4.74,2590.1 mi£10–20
ragnarok platter, mead selection, viking themed decor
- Pivní York4.61,7410.1 mi£1–10
selection of beers, dog friendly, beer knowledge
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Punch Bowl | 4.42,851 | — | — | christmas day lunch, beef rib shin brisket pie, fish pie |
| House Of The Trembling Madness // Stonegate (The Original) | 4.75,034 | 0.1 mi | £10–20 | pie mash and peas, craft beer selection, coffee stout |
| Valhalla York | 4.74,259 | 0.1 mi | £10–20 | ragnarok platter, mead selection, viking themed decor |
| Pivní York | 4.61,741 | 0.1 mi | £1–10 | selection of beers, dog friendly, beer knowledge |
The 3 nearest bars by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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