Bolton Arms in Richmondshire

Awesome Pub, very nicely decorated with the biggest/nicest terrass of Leyburn. And oh!!! I was going to forget: beer is good!

Great menu, lots of choices. Friendly and welcoming staff

Looked at the reviews for this place and looked very good, however, we ordered our drinks and had to send the cokes back as they tasted like pure soda water no cola flavour whatsoever. The menu was limited and once the food arrived it was disappointing. The pizza was warm not hot!! And far too sweet. The lasagna was over microwaved and very crusty at the edges. The garlic bread was cold and not toasted (just bread with melted garlic butter on it). My Friend had the fish and chips and enjoyed it thoroughly (I thought the chips looked burnt)

Great food and staff! Couldn’t be more helpful with allergies, portions are huge. Recommend!

The welcome we received and the food we ate were fantastic. We love going to The Bolton Arms and are always made to feel at home. We tried the Sunday Carvery which has recently been added to the menu and it’s superb. There is so much choice and the lamb I had was absolutely gorgeous. Thank you to Becky, Jack and all your lovely staff

Very dog friendly. A strong positive. Place looked a bit grubby to me but my partner has been unwell so we decided to give it a go. One barmaid for a busy Easter Saturday - she was very friendly and coping well We both chose cooked food (not salad etc) and it was only after I’d ordered I belatedly checked their hygiene score. It is ZERO. Look on ‘scores on the doors’ That was inspection score very recently. I picked at my steak and ale pie (filling wasn’t that bad but they’d burnt the pastry top, sides and bottom) plus the ‘fries’ were wedges which had far too many black bits attached. I left majority of my meal. Partner ate most of his. We didn’t complain as it felt unfair on the one barmaid. Two ladies loos - one had no paper. Noticed young guy with cleaning spray and a small folded up blue cloth doing spot cleaning. Tables were sticky. These places should have to display their scores visibly outside and in. Clear to me that their cleaning practices need a huge improvement

My husband and I were visiting Leyburn for the day and decided to try the Bolton Arms for some lunch as it looked very nice from the outside. Inside was quite shabby and the two female staff behind the bar weren't very welcoming at all but we were hungry and didn't want to appear rude so we ordered our food and stayed. The restaurant was pretty much empty although the bar was quite full ... we should have paid attention to that really. Sadly we weren't aware of the zero hygiene rating awarded by The Food Standards Agency at the end of last year until after our visit but that perhaps explains the restaurant’s emptiness! We ordered food (a halloumi and onion chutney wrap with chips/fries and a steak and ale pie with chips/fries and peas). The food was served by a man who I assume was the chef who I then realised was the same man that we'd seen sitting on the outside steps of the upstairs fire exit (presumably having a cigarette) when we had arrived. My wrap was a strange combination of freezing cold halloumi and even colder chutney inside a toasted wrap with some very well-cooked wedges. My husband's pie was mostly pastry with very little filling (although he did say that the filling that was in there was quite tasty) with a serving of the same well-cooked wedges, hard peas and some watery gravy. As we left, the server/chef was back on the fire escape steps, presumably having another cigarette. We visit Leyburn often but it's safe to say that we won't be making a return visit to The Bolton Arms.

Nice pub no food on a bit quiet for a Saturday afternoon

Beer was good....20 mins plus to wait for food even though near empty on a Monday lunch. Wasn't worth the wait....poor food

Thought I'd try the Bolton Arms in Leyburn for the first time. Nice beer, friendly service, but 20+ minutes wait for food. Bearing in mind, there was hardly any body in there on a Monday lunchtime. I had the Mediterranean Vegetable and Houlimi tray bake, with flat bread. I was expecting a roasted portion of mixed Mediterranean veg including peppers, onion etc..... What was delivered was Courgette, tomato and sweet potato with some houlimi that had been warmed in the oven and was swimming in the water that had come out of the tomatoes and courgettes. There was no sauce, just water, which I presume you were supposed to soak up with the flat bread. Poor fair for nearly £15

First time in this pub for about 8 years, and it hasn't changed, except that it looks a bit run down now and in need of a refresh. The pub was virtually empty and no real atmosphere evident.

We had a great meal at The Bolton Arms—the food was absolutely delicious and well worth the visit. The staff were friendly and welcoming, making us feel right at home. The only downside was how quickly the pub got busy and loud, which made it a little harder to enjoy a relaxed meal. That said, if you don’t mind a lively atmosphere, it’s a great spot for tasty food and good service!

Called in for a pint, stayed for 5. Friendly and nice, fantastic fire!

Went for food. Got the small parmo it was huge glad I did not go for the large. But very nice. Went about 4pm quiet and at 4.30/5 thats when lots of guys came in and a bit loud for us but we was finishing the meal and going anyway.

Had a lovely Sunday lunch yesterday, in a really warm cosy pub. Highly recommend

The only positive for us was its dog friendly. Went on a Sunday after a walk round the nearby waterfalls and we fancied a Sunday roast after. Really regret going here as it was overpriced frozen food. The beef was OK but everything else was frozen, tiny portion and swimming in runny gravy. For the price I'd expect fresh veg, rest roasties, fresh mash, stuffing ect. If I was ever in the area again I certainly wouldn't go back for food sadly.

Breakfast with Santa was fabulous! We (myself, my mum and stepdad and my 3 children aged 10, 8 and 2) arrived at 10.30 having pre booked. The children’s names were on a little board on each table so we knew exactly where to sit. All staff were dressed as elves which added to the Christmas spirit! Plenty to choose from, from the breakfast menu. The food arrived and it was delicious. We then got to meet the star of the show - Father Christmas, and all the children got a gift. Fabulous morning and well planned out by the owners! Well done team Bolton arms!

My friend and I visited The Bolton Arms 13/12/24 for an early evening meal. The barmaid made a point of commentating that meals didn’t start ‘till 5pm, but as there were only minutes to go, she would take our order (1st red flag for service) Once seated, we noted the table next to us had closed takeaway pizza boxes, and left shortly after, thanking the barmaid by name, taking the pizza boxes with them (2nd red flag) It was quite a busy pub, yet nobody else was eating (3rd red flag) I ordered chicken supreme (4th red flag was that it was served with Dauphinois potatoes. A creamy wine & mushroom sauce with creamy garlic and cheese potatoes?) 5th red flag was that the “chef” was also the waiter, who, after our order, spent time behind the bar, with the one and only barmaid on a Friday night, chatting with the locals (hmm, not popular on the food front then) My friend’s fillet of beef meal was an overwhelming belly-buster. The chips were underdone, unpeeled wedges of potato (not chips) It had 4 huge overcooked, greasy onion rings. The cooked, hot tomato was sat on a sorry afterthought of a cold salad (???) My plate was sadly under filled. It had a chicken breast, pot of tepid gravy, blanched tender stem broccoli, & a small, grey slab of something nondescript, with no taste at all. I told the barmaid I couldn’t eat it. I never complain or send food back. Seas clearly feeling out of her depth & didn’t know quite what to do, but eventually asked if she should get the “chef” to come to see me. Yes. A young, slim lad approached our table. I told him the food was inedible, explaining all of the above. He said it was “supreme of chicken”; a cut of meat, not chicken supreme & the dauphinois absorbs the cream in itself & doesn’t have cheese or garlic. Doesn’t have cheese? He told me to Google supreme of chicken, took my plate away, but didn’t offer an alternative plate of food. I went to the bar & waited so long I had to sit down at my table again, as my back was aching so much. Finally the barmaid appeared, but she favoured chatting with locals over acknowledging my presence. At last, a hesitant barmaid looked at me, sheepishly, & asked if she could help me. I said the “chef” took my plate away but didn’t offer an alternative meal. She looked surprised at that , apologised, & asked if I wanted to see the menu to order something else. I asked how long it would take for a lasagne meal ( thinking that might be the quickest, as my friend was already munching through his meal & wouldn’t want to wait another 30 minutes to be served, plus eating time. She went away to check, then announced it would be 10-12 minutes. 35 minutes later the “chef” delivered a small portion of lasagne that was mostly pasta sheets & melted Red Leicester. What little mince there was had no sauce. What I thought was garlic bread, was just a baguette with melted butter. The only edible part was the coleslaw, which was probably out sourced. The barmaid did attend the table to ask how my second meal was. I told her I’d had better (from Lidl!) Her reaction made me feel more sorry for HER than persue the refund I most definitely deserve. She’s just doing a job. It’s not HER fault there’s such poor quality food on offer. I know she knows it’s bad. She just needs to hold onto her job for a wage. She’s counting on people like me to pay a bill of £47.10 for substandard food & secretly vow not to return. £47.10??! for meals neither of us completed nor rated. Do not order food from the Bolton Arms.

Absolutely fantastic dinner. My wife, I and two daughters ate here tonight and our experience was excellent. A very polite warm welcome when we entered. The Bolton arms is a striking building and the decor inside is superb. The food was amazing! All four dishes were excellent and enjoyed by all. Service was great and when extra gravy was asked for this was no trouble. Portion size was very generous and prices great. If you want brilliant food at very good prices with great customer service please pay the Bolton arms a visit. Thank you, see you again soon.

We went as a large group to watch rugby, the staff organised tables for us and were very friendly. We all had food, I had pizza with a side of onion ring which were the best I’ve had! Good selection of beer and a roaring fire. We will be back again next year

As a local we walked up for lunch have to say one of the best Sunday lunch we have had fire on when walked in very homely and jack was just how we like him very polite and bit of banter

Disappointing. Steak pie was old and dry. Veg was cold.

First time I have visited Leyburn and The Bolton arms. It was late Sunday afternoon, so when I was told only pork left for Sunday dinner, I thought ok ill give it go, but no high expectations. How surprised I was, how lovely and juicy the pork was, the Sunday dinner was delicious, followed by sticky toffee pudding, a must have. I will be back again 😋

Just arrived at Leyburn, hungry and ready for a drink… So we popped in to The Bolton Arms, they had a great range of local beers on tap and priced well. We live at the seaside so you will never guess what we picked to eat? “Fish & Chips 🤩” and do you know what, they were not half bad at all and again well priced, in fact we pay more for them back home and we got the mushy peas and a curry sauce thrown in with the price also… Will definitely pop in again, for a quick cheeky drink and food. Worth a visit if you’re unsure where to have a drink or bite to eat, nearly forgot to say all the colleagues in here all really friendly and make you feel welcome. (Walk or drive to the top of the main street in Leyburn and you will not pass this place) 🍻…

Delicious home cooked Sunday lunch, very reasonably priced. Dog friendly too. Plenty of seating and has a lovely outside area inc kids play area.

The ambience is somewhat lacking (floor was sticky) but the food —at least mine— was outstanding. I ordered a double smash cheeseburger and was very happy with it: had all the right ingredients, plenty of properly fried onions, and I only eat chips when they’re really good. These were fries, and perfection. My husband was less impressed with his nachos but hey, this was Northern Yorkshire after all. Good food at a reasonable price for lunch.

Enjoyed the food and drinks, good atmosphere, very reasonably priced. Always return during vacation

Incredibly friendly staff, lovely beer, and genuinely one of the nicest pizzas I've ever had. Excellent view of the dale to top it off. Will definitely come back.

Very good, thanks. Burger and Lasagne. Nice outside area.

Bolt burger. Burger bun dry enough to choke a donkey. Told the bar woman and she said oh im very sorry. That was that. Stayed in Leyburn 3 nights didnt return and wont in the future. CRAP.

We enjoyed a quick visit here! Wish they would re-apoulster their benches….. I Felt gross sitting on them! But over all a great experience. The chalkboard signs are hilarious!

We were in the area and in need for a bite to eat. We came across The Bolton Arms as it looked nice from the outside and was convenient to get to as it’s right in the middle of Leyburn. We parked in the Long Stay car park, which is only a few min walk from the centre. We were immediately greeted by the friendly staff and told we were able to sit wherever we like, and were handed some food menus. There was a good selection on the menu. And the food came out quickly. It was hot, fresh and tasty (they do an amazing pizza!) The staff were super helpful and friendly and gave us suggestions on what to do around the local area. I cannot comment on the rooms, however the pub area was lovely. I would highly recommend The Bolton Arms.

We stopped for a bite to eat whilst passing through over bank holiday weekend and we weren't disappointed. Staff were really friendly, chatty and accommodating. We sat inside but noticed the pub had a huge beer garden which looked great for them summers nights! We opted to have a steak pie and the chicken and chorizo pasta. The food was piping hot and plentiful, and delicious! Would definitely recommend to anyone on vacation or passing through to give this place a try!

Called late afternoon & we were relieved they were still serving food. Our party had burger, a basket meal and a sandwich. I had the salt and pepper chicken basket meal, it was huge, I enjoyed it but to my taste I would have liked it a little spicier. My nephew enjoyed his burger and my sister had the sandwich, ham, plenty of it and clearly cut off the bone. However she did say would have preferred chips rather than the mountain of nachos. The downside was the diet coke, it was very watery and when trying to order a coffee they said they were no longer serving hot drinks. Overall good but just needs a little tweaking.

Good friendly staff and warm atmosphere. The business is in the process of changing owners.

First of all denied food at 7:45 when they were still serving others by abrupt female at the bar...when asked for just coffee we were told they didn't do coffee when they were busy...only 2 couples in the bar and two bar staff just stood talking...very rude manner...don't bother trying here!

Always been a good pub food is great pizzaz are the bollocks😊😊👍👍🍻🍻

45 minute wait for Sunday dinner. Meat good. Yorkshire puddings a bit tough. Veg ok.

Went for Sunday lunch with family. Food was stone cold service poor. Plates came out one at a time with no cutlery. The worst food I have tasted. Went to bar not to make a fuss. They apologized and said they would sort it. Food came back as it had been microwaved and not replated and again no cutlery. So asked for a refund. We then got a refund and a rude bar lady said well you waited 15 minutes before you complained (we didn't) and nobody else has complained. treat us like we were liars. Would not recommend.

Took my partner and our lad for lunch, before going off somewhere fun, got the order wrong first, then made everyone wait for cutlery, food was stone cold even the instant mash that was buried under the meat and gravy,cold frozen stuffing ball, I made a quiet complaint and it was taken away and microwaved... When I pointed out that this was not acceptable the Bar lady, said leave it with me then came back and said it had been with us for 15 minutes (it had not) and made a fuss at our table and basically called me a liar, she offered a full refund then, charged us for 3 cokes anyway.. I would not recommend coming here and would say they need better staff and better training..

Really nice food and lovely location. Friendly staff.

Visited the Bolton arms of some lunch and it was absolutely beautiful and delicious the service was excellent, and the staff were so friendly and helpfully and will definitely go back 10 out of 10

A first class pub, service, prices, drink and food excellent.

A friendly pub plenty of seating area in the beer garden just right for a sunny evening.

Went there with family tonight. I overcame my British reserve when the man behind the bar came to ask if everything was OK. I said non of the food was hot. He said sorry and offered to warm it up. Didnt really want to wait while 5 plates of food were reheated, so i declined the offer. But as we proceeded it became clear,that not only was it luke warm , it was the worst sweet and sour chicken I've had in my life. All sour and no sweet, so acidic it was inedible. Three of us ordered it and 3 of us left it. When I mentioned this (when I eventually found someone to mention it too in private) , i was told "Sorry,but I gave you the chance to rectify it". I replied that No he hadn't, he'd just agreed to reheat luke warm food. He just repeated what he'd just said. He might just as well have said " Tough s***!" The seats were badly torn,the food was awful and the customer service was terrible. He could not have cared less.

Ohh what a welcome, the moment entered pub..😃🥰 Food some of the best fish n chips we've ever tasted. Kind n courteous asking if we need anything. A smile a minute...Thank you for making our visit memorable in such a beautiful piece of history pub.xxx

Perfect place if you are looking for a cozy place and good service Thanks for receiving us so nicely, managing a big group is never easy. Special tanks for the chef, everything was amazing.

Didn't have any food, drank outside

It's only pub grub, but I expected better. Chips were nice, but the chicken burger was that charred, it was like it'd been scraped out the back of a fireplace. Shame.

Nice enough pub but needs a little refresh - odd smell in the main bar area

friendly and helpful, attentive and welcoming; great pub food - good choice of beers - just what we were looking for - thank you

Good place.. Open late on weekends

Great friendly pub with good grub

Good food friendly staff who really helpful.

Called in for a bite to eat. Only had a sandwich but it was very nice. Staff lovely. Say outside in the sun. Spectacular views. Would recommend the Bolton arms to anyone visiting the area

We had a really good welcome and the food was lovely. We particularly want to comment the man who was covering the front of house duties. He was incredibly busy but still gave excellent customer care.

Really nice pub, good place to eat, prices are very reasonable, they are big portions, it's dog friendly as are many pubs in the area, the atmosphere is ok, they gave TVs, game machines and pool tables, it's quite spacious plenty of seating and also has a nice outdoor garden area with sheltered seating. I would visit again.

Great pub, very friendly, good ales!

Popped in here for foods after passing several times the previous day. We was a little sceptical about the food after seeing some of the reviews but I am pleased to say we had no issues and the food was great. Considering it is in the heart of the village it was surprisingly quiet and not really sure why, this does seem a shame. Service was great and food came out in plenty of time. Would happily return here.

Good sandwich and beer. Quiet afternoon. No locks on toilet door!

Thought this was a great pub after a long day of walking. Had worked up a healthy appetite and saw my new favourite meal, a Parmo on the menu which was very tasty. My girlfriend got a pizza and that was also top draw as well as some cheesy chips. Great value for money too so would recommend if you are looking for some solid pub food.

Myself and my boyfriend came here for our dinner after a busy day out and both had the Chicken Parmo Burger off the menu which was so nice! We would both highly recommend!

Lovely food at a reasonable price, nice staff

Uninspiring menu, oily greasy pizza😕

Leyburn. Just had a drink here my brothers and I and the veiw out the back across the moors was stunning.

Nice comfortable bar with nice pub grub.

There was a large group of us that went in to watch sport on the large screen . We all ordered food majority were pizzas. Great selection of toppings all pizza were hand made so were fresh and hot, delicious. The homemade chunky chops were also very good. The bar was nice and warm and good for our large group. After reading negative previous reviews they must have sorted their issues as there were plenty of beers on tap.

Had lunch here 14/03/24... It was dreadful. Had sausage & mash. The food tasted like it was yesterday's heated up. The inside was very run down , seating was ripped & torn & the seating backs were filthy. Won't be going back. Dissapointed as the outside looks so lovely.

We come to Leyburn every couple of months and usually have lunch at the Bolton Arms. Food has always been lovely with a warm comfortable atmosphere. We went for lunch today, it was ok. The pub was almost empty and despite being freezing outside, the fire wasn't on and the pub was also freezing. We ate with our coats on. Food was OK. Burgers were tasty, the parmo was nice enough. Came with chips/wedges but no salad garnish as previous visits. The plate looked a little underwhelming. Only 2 deserts available or ice cream and we didn't fancy either of those. We usually leave feeling full but today we went to the shop over the road for some biscuits after! The bar lady was friendly, food came quickly. As I said, ok, but not as good as previous visits and we'll probably try somewhere else next time.

Imposing building from outside. Very nice inside. We had a lovely lunch here.

Lovely food, great service, and value for money. I've not been in for a few years, but we will certainly be calling again. Saturday Lunch after a long walk was perfect. Thank you

We stopped here and had some food. We had the chicken parmo which was absolutely gorgeous! The fish and chips were nice but maybe the batter was a bit thick (also there was loads more chips hiding under the fish - massive portion!). Honestly still really enjoyed it though. I think it's just because I tasted my husbands chicken parmo that made it seem not as good. Would definitely go back if I was in the area. Doggie friendly too!

Came in on 2nd January on a rainy day. Staff were super friendly and helpful. Food was ok, not brilliant but hit the spot nicely. Dog friendly pub too 😄

Spot on Yorkshire Town pub.....

We called in here with our dog for a couple of drinks on a rainy Saturday. As there was football on the TV we stayed for a couple of hours

Really nice dog friendly pub. Food was great. Had the special baguette for lunch which was huge and delicious. Ended up sharing it. Everyone was happy with their food. Good atmosphere for Saturday afternoon but there was a group of footballers blocking access to the toilets that some of the party found intimidating to walk past. Lots of dogs in here too and space for them under and next to tables. Good selection of drinks and not expensive. Even made us some baby Guinness’s.

The food was delicious and they had plenty of gluten free options. The service was quick and polite. No faults about the food. Highly recommend

Had lunch here and was very disappointed. My son had pizza at over £10 and it was a limp greasy frozen effort. Surprised if it was more than £1.50 from Aldi. I had chicken supreme which was overly vinegary. The place had no more than 10-15 people in and it still took almost 45 minutes to arrive. Noticed the chef wandering around the pub afterwards and his attire looked filthy. One to avoid I’m afraid.

Lovely place to visit, had one of the chefs specials which change weekly, the salmon en croute, it was great beautifully cooked and the drinks were reasonably priced.

Came in on a whim - friendly place, imposing and impressive building! Food wise we had the special ciabatta which was Turkey stuffing and cranberry, with homemade chips and gravy…it was REDONKULOUSLY GOOD. Come here for a pint and the special ciabatta - it’s great

A group of us for lunch appealed to all family members. Excellent friendly, helpful service and good pub food.

Just edited this review Excellent food, massive portions, would highly recommend, will return next time we are in leyburn 😊 Editing this review. We returned to the area yesterday and thought we would go back to the Bolton arms for tea as it was so good when we've been in the past, we was really disappointed this time the portion sizes have more than halfed in size we left still feeling hungry we won't be returning, we will try the other pubs in the area instead.

we arrived at a very busy time, we were told there will be a wait of half an hour,one hour later we eventually had our order taken.

A lovely looking pub which could have delivered much more. Food was mediocre, staff seemed bored (that could be due to the weather - very wet) and beer was ok at best which is a shame for a local cask ale. The double cheese smash burger was the best dish we had. Hopefully it was just an "off" evening as our experience was not a match to the other reviews.

We had read the reviews and they were all over the place. However we (4 of us) had lunch there today Friday 13th Oct and I have to say the food was first class. I had the weekly special and it was lovely. My wife needs GF and the selection is very good. She had the fish and chips and she said it the best GF meal she had had for a long time. Service, price, views and aspects from the pub are very good and a pleasure to be in.

Having read previous reviews, we decided to have lunch here. Best food I've had for a long time. Chicken tikka starter was fab & the Parmo chicken burger was amazing. Good size potions and a good price. Good selection of beers/ lagers. Will be back definitely

Best pub we could find in Leyburn that allowed pets in. Nice friendly people and good grub, the beers not bad either.

We ended up here after our walking route was flooded... And I'm glad we did! Burgers were amazing and dogs are allowed 😁 We had the chicken parmo + double smash burger.

This afternoon’s carvery was without doubt the best we have ever had. Quality, quantity as well as selection could not have been bettered. This is one of those places I would travel 20+ miles to eat at.

This afternoon’s carvery was without doubt the best we have ever had, anywhere. Quality, quantity as well as selection could not have been bettered. Friendly staff made our visit a pleasure.

Steak too gristly to bother eating, no real flavour. Never had tasteless onion rings before but they managed it. Mushtoomswere good though. Staff just said "oh" not even a hint of apology. Not value for money, Staff friendly though. The Black Swan in the square much better

Was pleased to find them serving food as most places seemed to stop at 4pm and most pubs didn’t start until 6pm. Food was ok, but expensive for what it was. Having said that my Dad thoroughly enjoyed his fish and chips and the fish was massive! Unfortunately in the ladies the toilet didn’t flush and no toilet paper. Loud pub with a lot of dogs (yelping and all).

Friendly. Excellent service. Lovely food. Best tuna melt I’ve had in a while. Great for coeliacs and people with food allergies. Thank you

Popped in for food was lovely 6 meals everyone really enjoyed it, all home cooked great service

Super staff. Great food. Fab selection of beers.

Claims it is wheelchair accessible,we were about to tackle the steps at the front,when a member of staff quoted’ there’s a ramp around the side if you can get around there’ Then we asked about a disabled toilets,which don’t exist there. It came up on google as accessible,which it is,great as long as you don’t neeed the loo ! Looks like a smart establishment at a glance,thought they’d be a bit more accommodating 😳☹️

Mistook it for a spare limbs shop, still stayed for the beers.

Great food selection on menu, food was very tasty and plenty of it. Staff were lovely too. Great customer service when solving a problem with paying bill twice (not their fault... my husbands!!)

Sat outside after a long walk. Wish some of these Yorkshire town pubs would stop trying to be city bars. Beer ok, little bit too cold. Service friendly enough. Only the huge amount of chalkboards with artistic writing on, plus the TVs and gambling machines let it down.

Dirty🤢fish and chips were aweful absolutely swimming in grease and expensive 🤦2/10 and will not return