What pubs are really trying hard? By that I mean free houses that are doing their very best. I'm talking about the pubs that have perfectly kept real ale, good homecooked food, all the elements that make a good pub worth its weight in gold.

Name them here and tell us why, this thread goes sticky for a while

The Hillsborough Hotel does decent food for a fiver and always has a good range of beers which are always well kept.

Personally I'm not a big fan of eating in pubs - I prefer restaurants/home for eating and pubs for drinking

I like the Crown in Totley. They have decent London Pride, Landlord and Tetleys on tap and good home-cooked food. There's nothing flashy or modern about it, just a nice relaxing place to go.

I like the Bath on Victoria Street too, a good honest pub.

Have you tried the wig&pen since it re opened, more real ales than before & a lovely little dining room on Paradise Square

I like the fat cat down at kelham Island. Real ales and good cheap home cooked food.

I like the fat cat down at kelham Island. Real ales and good cheap home cooked food.

Is it home cooked food? I'm just asking the question here because a few people I know reckon its just microwaved

We held my husbands birthday party inthe function room and we all had meat and potato pie, I went in the kitchen to sort out the birthday cake and the pie was just coming out of the oven in one of those big metal trays not a dispoable type and kitchen looked like they had prepared it. Dont know if things have changed as not been for a few months.

We go to the Bee Hive in Harthill very often for tea, their steak pie is lovely and most definately home made. All theri soups and things are home made too.

Devonshire Cat on Wellington Street in the city centre do good food, all local produce in it as well and they have about 8/10 hand pumps on all the time.
I also like the Hillsborough Hotel.

the pie [in the Fat Cat] was just coming out of the oven in one of those big metal trays not a dispoable type and kitchen looked like they had prepared it.

I can second that, having also seen the various pies in their big metal trays fresh from the oven :)

The Cobden View in Crookes is great, good atmosphere two areas for a nice quiet pint and a pool area / come TV area.

For a local in the heart of Crookes, its a very good night out especially at the weekend

The Hillsborough Hotel does decent food for a fiver and always has a good range of beers which are always well kept.

Personally I'm not a big fan of eating in pubs - I prefer restaurants/home for eating and pubs for drinking

Ive had some good meals here.:thumbsup:

I am giving The Stag in Sharrow a shout. I only discovered this pub a couple of weeks and really like it. There is a decent range of beers, well kept, and the decor is light and stylish. The staff have been friendly each time I have been also.

Last night we went to eat there and ordered the vegetarian platter which would have fed three of us. We ended up with a doggy bag to take some of it home, it was great.

The pub must be doing something right because it was heaving last night

Rising Sun in Fulwood - superb ! About 8 or so real ales and good honest food.
Then there's the three merry lads out at lodgemoor, they have pale rider on tap and food's never a disappointment
Then let me add the Kelham Island Tavern - food's simple, but the beer is superb and the staff so friendly!
Fagan's not bad either.

I am giving The Stag in Sharrow a shout. I only discovered this pub a couple of weeks and really like it. There is a decent range of beers, well kept, and the decor is light and stylish. The staff have been friendly each time I have been also.

Last night we went to eat there and ordered the vegetarian platter which would have fed three of us. We ended up with a doggy bag to take some of it home, it was great.

The pub must be doing something right because it was heaving last night

Yes I agree with taxman. Lovely pub with a nice atmosphere. I particularly like the crystals hanging in the windows and the cosy seating area. I'm lucky its my local:hihi:

The bottom Red Lion at Grenoside, not so much for the ale but the food is very good, varied and has broad availability (long serving times!)

The fat cat on a monday from 8pm serves curry for £2.75 and selected beers from £1.20 a pint! Simple stuff but you can't argue with that, tasty beer too and as local as you can get!

The Plough at Sandygate. Good food, nice beer

A bit out of the way but ... don't go to the Grouse and Claret at Rowsley ... microwaved food at it's best !

Notty House in Broomhill.... since its reopened its got good beer, great wine and cheese night and the homemade pies are outstanding, and they are now doing a weekly special too...

I like the fat cat down at kelham Island. Real ales and good cheap home cooked food.

Don't like food here. Beer very good though of course.

Just badly cooked I think and cheap ingredients.

Just need to give some feedbck on a recent night in the Riverside. Went here last Thursday to attend a surprise birthday party and have some food. Explained this to the lad behind the bar at 7.20pm. Half an hour later ( inside last food order time) we approach the bar to order food only to be told they had stopped serving - when I reminded the lad that he knew we were going to eat there he was very rude and actually shouted at me. All twelve of will not be retuning to this pub. Shame really as its otherwise pleasant.

With the credit crunch and pubs closing this thread is even more important. I was going to unstick it but will leave it for a while

Old Harrow at Grenoside, gonna have shot myself in foot now cos guess it's always gonna be packed but hey ho :) great pub, great atmosphere ...............

http://www.oldharrow.co.uk/