Katie O’Brien’s Leeds review: This lively Irish pub is a guaranteed good time - if you can handle the crowds

Katie O’Brien’s opened in Leeds last autumn, promising a ‘taste of Ireland’ and the perfect pint. If the queues for entry are anything to go by - often snaking down Greek Street at the weekend - it’s been an instant hit. It even hosted Leeds United players and staff earlier this summer following their title parade celebrations.

The North East-based chain is expanding its reach across the country, and it’s hit the sweet spot of the new ‘night out’, with revellers abandoning late club nights in favour of more casual day drinks and live music.

I visited on a Saturday evening and the place was heaving, which meant a tussle to the bar that isn’t for the faint-hearted. Admittedly, we made matters worse by ordering espresso martinis (and shots of Baby Guinness, which is the closest I’ll get to the real stuff). The server had to call over her manager to make the cocktails, which held things up further, but the staff were friendly and juggled the relentless flood of orders pretty well.

Unsurprisingly, Guinness is the main order of choice; I asked a neighbour at the bar for his verdict on his pint, which was “bang on”. There’s also Murphy’s, Inch’s cider, a range of beers including Heineken and Cruzcampo, a smaller selection of wine and some Irish Whiskey.

With our shots tipped back and cocktails in hand, then came the next challenge - navigating the crowds without getting our drinks knocked into, and finding a spot to sip them. Despite losing some of them, our espresso martinis were smooth and not too heavy on the sugar syrup, with a perfect layer of foam. They were also priced at £9, which is competitive for Greek Street.

We arrived between sets, where everything from Shania Twain to ABBA was successfully keeping the crowd going until the next artist arrived. When he took to the stage, the talented singer played acoustic covers, including Coldplay, and had a fantastic stage presence.

As well as live music, Katie O’Brien’s also shows live sport - including international rugby and Premier League football - across a good number of screens.

The tavern became more packed as trains arrived back from York Races, and we couldn’t face getting another drink. However, if you’re prepared for the crowds, I’d argue that Katie’s is one of the most vibrant venues in Leeds right now.

We’d return - just perhaps not on a Saturday evening.

Factfile

Address: 6 Greek St, Leeds, LS1 5RW

Telephone: 0113 531 9790

Opening hours: Mon-Tue, 5pm-midnight; Wed-Thur, 5pm-1am; Fri, 3pm-3am; Sat, noon-3am; Sun, noon-midnight.

Website: katieobriensirishtaverns.com/leeds

Scores

Drinks: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Service: 6/10