Masons Arms

We stopped in for lunch today after walking through York, and I've been here quite a few times. We both had the sausage and mash, which was really good and reasonably priced. The beer and cider were good value too. Everything we saw coming out of the kitchen looked great, and the pub has an excellent atmosphere with lovely, polite staff. I'm not easily pleased, but I had absolutely nothing to complain about. Five stars, would highly recommend.

The food was good and fairly priced, and there's a cute little outdoor area. It's a good place for a roast, though it can get busy because of the location. Service was slow, and the staff seemed unsure about things. My pudding arrived before my main, and they looked confused. The waiter was very young and inexperienced, and they didn't replace the cutlery between courses.

The food felt properly home cooked, and drinks came out quickly from the bar and were kept well. We made a spontaneous bank holiday trip from Manchester to York with my partner. I’d been before, and it still hasn’t lost its charm. The staff were friendly and attentive, too. A lovely place all round!

We came back for a second night, which says a lot. I tried a dish called chicken 65, I think, and it was so tasty. My other half loved the pork belly, and we had a couple of pints of Black Sheep blonde. The beer choice was nice, with a good variety of beers and lager. On our first visit, a wet Sunday evening in autumn, we’d picked this cracking independent pub after reading reviews and seeing it was near where we were staying. It felt welcoming as soon as we walked in. The young staff were polite and friendly, a real credit to the place. The food was tasty and portions were generous. The Sunday menu was limited, but worked great for us. Lovely.