The Ferret in Preston

We were visiting Preston for the weekend and we decided to spend our Sunday night at the Ferret. Really enjoyed it. Relaxed atmosphere with live music. Good selection of drinks and well priced. Young girl on the bar kindly ordered us a taxi We only asked if she knew a number for a local cab firm so service was spot on. I would love to visit here again but I don't live local. If I am in the area again I will be sure to come back.

A special bar for me personally as it was the first place I performed some of my poetry after moving to Preston in 2016. I have some experience of live poetry from Manchester but this was a whole new city to inflict myself on and the audience were very appreciative. I loved the range of beers here, and the food, as well as some great live shows including a few burlesque events I attended (not as a participant). With life getting in the way and the long Covid shut down of every bar in Blighty, it is great to see The Ferret bounce back as a premier live entertainment venue, with some well known bands appearing. On my most recent visit, Space, who recorded Neighborhood in the 1990's, were headlining. Great show, venue, bar staff and customers too.

Went to The Ferret for a comedy night. We’ll set out for an audience. Not enough bar staff. Bit too warm if sat under heaters. Great graffiti in the loos. Fab posters.

Nice place,helpful staff,nice atmosphere You can find a wide range of tastes and you can for sure have a lovely night out

I really like the decor of this place, vintage band posters on the walls near the stairs. It gave me a retro feel. Service in here was fast as I came in during the day. They have a selection of ales and frequently have live music. I would recommend to come here if watching bands is your thing. Initially I came to try some food before the menu was discontinued. I had the filthy fries. The filthy fries were topped with chilli beans, cheese, guacamole and sour cream. The portion was quite big for me and was really filling. The price of that and a drink came to around £7. I thought it was good for the price. I'm sad that I didn't get to try any of the other food on offer. But I'm glad that this venue is continuing to support live bands

Very disappointing venue a rude staff, it's a dive. The attitude of the lady behind the bar is very unprofessional. Dirty looks. She dose not like women.

Visited the ferret this pm. Me and my partner ordered a burger each and shared. Both burgers were drenched in mustard for a start. On picking them up they totally fell apart, covered in grease. I resorted to eating with my knife and fork and when doing so I realised how dreadful the burger meat actually was. Being bland, and my partner referred to it as like eating mash potato/pizza dough. Truly was one of the worst burgers I’d ever eaten. Was a shame as well because the lad behind the bar was nice.

Came here for a tea time treat when visiting Preston for the afternoon. We ordered burger, ribs and the Mammoth Rib and Pterodactyl Wings! Kids were well impressed! Staff friendly, food was prompt and delicious. Mammoth rib was Mammoth and scrumptious!! Too much for us...took a doggy bag home ... our dog was also well impressed!!

We always go to The Ferret for work birthday lunches. Always good. This visit was the best so far. Juicy tasty burgers and great veggie options. Decent service, friendly staff. Reasonable cost. Supposed to be a great place in teh evenings with live music.

As others have said; great atmosphere. Good selection of beers as ales and the food is good value for what you get.

The atmosphere, the staff, the entertainment and dear god - the ribs. Succulent, huge and a delicious treat with sweet potato fries.

Local to the area and had been hearing about the hype over The Ferret and its food. Visited this afternoon at about 7:30pm, a bit quiet but can't complain! Lady behind the bar was absolutely lovely and took our order! Two burgers, two drinks and a side of onion rings coming to about £25 and my goodness, the hype is definitely true. Food arrived very quickly, fresh produce and one of the best burgers I've had in a long time! Value for money is outstanding, paid a lot more for a lot less elsewhere! Really laid back place with a good vibe, all staff are lovely and the food tasted amazing, would recommend to anyone! They also have a lot of small events on such as quiz nights and live music so if that interests you definitely have a quick check to see what's on! Thank you Ferret, I'm sure we'll be back again soon! 😁

Went to the ferret to see a friends band play while there we had a bite to eat the food here is great, the portions are a really good size I had the mammoth rib and it really was a giant rib you wouldn't believe it until you seen it the bbq sauce was really nice to, the meat just fell off the bone it was great, watched 3 bands play after food had a couple of drinks too, not expensive, good food and good atmosphere well worth a visit.

Totally love this place for food. The burgers are absolutely amazing. Friendly staff and relaxed atmosphere. Oh, the onion rings are the best also.

Arrived to a friendly staffed restaurant n got recommended mammoth ribs n wings. The portions were generous . The wings were tasty. The ribs were dry and coated with BBQ sauce. Nothing spectacular taste wise here? A bit tough too. Price was reasonable and decor brilliant

Visité El hurón con un amigo que había recomendado el opciones veganas, ser llamado smokehouse tenía dudas cómo vegano amable que iba a ser. Pero no era seguramente decepcionará! Tuve la remolacha el bean burger, era absolutamente enorme, delicioso y parecía que algunos pensamos en él, no sólo los habituales opciones aburrido vegetariano algunos lugares ofrecen. No puedo esperar a volver de nuevo.

El hurón es un jewell. Usted puede perder fácilmente, pero oh mi, si tienes hambre, que es su lugar. Las raciones son enormes y las hamburguesas son de los mejores que he comido. Carne jugosa, ligeramente crujiente, verduras un pan crujiente. Lo tienen todo. Las costillas y las alitas de pollo son bastante impresionantes. Pero sí, debo comer, no pude terminar mi porción.

Visited tonight with 2 friends. Not been for a while. Good choice of beer, decent service and absolutely fantastic burgers. On their day easily as good as solita etc if not better.

lots of choice of burgers, hot dogs and hoagies. Good choice of ales. good for students. A little bit pricey for a burger but still they were tasty.

Waste of time, food is greesy not nice! Trying to hard to be like American diners, But can't pull it off.

Love the music, good beer, and food is alright. But wow, one member of staff was so rude to us and other customers it was shocking. Its always fun to have characters behind a bar, but not one who shouts at customers for ordering food, and berates you for sitting at the "wrong table" (she ended up being in the wrong). I understand its a stressful job, and I don't expect people to be constantly friendly. But the level of aggression has put me off visiting again.

Ok I know this is a popular venue and the food is a feature... But from a veggies point of view....Ok it's brilliant that there are vegetarian and vegan options, and a range so I'm loathe to do this but just cos I don't eat meat doesn't mean I've lost my sense of taste! The.dishes we ordered were very bland and they were the chilli burger and the pretender hotdog again chilli and coriander, so that surprised us. We asked for chilli sauce and none was available. Only there is as a seperate dish which found out about because someone in our party knew of. Also at £7.95 I'd expect to be full, but sadly we were not satisfied and remained hungry. Some questions for the ferret kitchen staff to reflect on, do you taste the veggie options? The meat versions maybe filling (the meat eaters in the party were well impressed) but meat works in a different way to chick peas and so consider using denser protein and roughage combinations or even higher amounts of salad and lastly can you use garlic and chilli to better effect? The mushrooms in the pretender were flippin gorgeous... Start there and work outwards! However let me be clear the staff were lovely and helpful and a great laugh! The pub and gigs I've been to there are brilliant so not an overall critism of the venue just this aspect.

Came here for lunch yesterday with the family . The burgers were huge and the chicken wings delicious. Massive portions , great tasting food and excellent value.A big hit with us and will definitely be returning to tackle the full tack of ribs.The bar and staff were really attentive and the venue also hosts some great gigs.Nice selection of beers and alesA hidden gem - go pay a visit.

Myself and my husband visited The Ferret on a recommendation from a friend, whilst in Preston for an event, and both of us were disappointed. The bar staff were very polite and our meal arrived quickly, but unfortunately the food itself was a let down. My husband ordered the 'It's a Ham-bush' burger. The patty was very dry and crumbled apart when he ate it. The bun was toasted and on the verge of being burnt. I ordered the 'I Fought the Slaw' hoagie, which is described as pulled pork in BBQ sauce. The pulled pork contained huge chunks of fat and instead of BBQ sauce it definitely tasted like tomato ketchup. Our sides were Cajun Onion Rings, which were really just very thick battered onions (no Cajun taste and it was difficult to eat them because they were still a bit raw inside). We upgraded to sweet potato fries for an extra £1 but these were nothing special.We won't be eating here again if we visit Preston.

Me and my family have been coming here for years, we have a now 4 year old son and have always been made to feel so welcome.The food is reasonably priced and has always been good quality and portions.No complaints to date ...we're on our way there now and I have no doubt we will be returning for years to come.

Came here for lunch as everything on the lunch menu is £4.95 and I've heard that the food here is good so I wanted to give it a whirl. I ordered mac and cheese which was average and was a large portion. My partner ordered a pulled pork stuffed brioche bun which I've forgotten the name of and we also ordered chilli chips to share. The chips were a little too salty but the chilli was great. The portion size of the chips was also pretty huge and it was a struggle for us to finish it.There was one member of staff serving when we were there and he was helpful, offering his assistance when I asked about the rotational draught ciders. I've been here a couple of times before but never for food. For the price, the lunch meal is a great option but I'd definitely like to return to try a burger from here.

I have heard they have the best burgers here.. but i didn't try it. What me and my friend had was something from the lunch menu :) good value for money. The food was nice. If you come around lunch time it is very quiet. We had the place all to ourselves. Food was well presented. Staff were friendly :) BTW all lunch menu is £5 or less.. it runs monday to friday. 12noon till 5pm :) this is as far as i can recall :)

This was a great place to eat the food was good the service was good and the atmosphere was great. The food prices are reasonable and they do great deals during the week. My onot downfall is that they don't have many burger options with chicken as I don't like beef. Still a great place and I would go again

The Ferret is an unusual combination of a popular student-orientated, live-music gig pub, with a selection of unusual craft ales and an American-styled food menu. Food is superb if you're looking for hearty comfort food; meat-eaters can enjoy ribs, wings, burgers, hot dogs and the like and options for vege and vegan exist on the menu. My favourite - Boozy Back Ribs presents a full rack of slow-roasted drop-off-the-bone ribs with a glorious sweet molasses sauce on a board and plate that you'd struggle to fit on the table. Big portions, good quality. Just take care when ordering the chilli sauce - "Feral" strength is exactly that. Expect trouble finding tables during popular times.

We were just passing and thought we would pop in and have a look. Was a great choice, the food was really nice and we had no worries about the size of the portion, there was more than enough. It looks like quite a lively joint and we both said we would come back again and try it out in the evening because they have live music.

I love coming to the Ferret for the food and the gigs. The gigs are always fantastic as is the food.This time around I went for the halloumi, mushroom and garlic aloli hoagie which didn't disappoint along with a pint of real ale.

Visited with a friend &was very impressed with the food - good selection, well thought out menu, you will NOT leave hungry! Good beers available to finish - delicious!! Much better than other local burger place.

We visited this group as a party of 11 to celebrate a friend's birthday. We arrived early lunchtime so had no trouble finding a seating area large enough to accommodate all of us; I would say that ordinarily though you should probably not visit in a group larger than 6-8 if you all want to sit together.This pub feels very warm and welcoming. Love the laid back vibe and 'proper pub' atmosphere with dark dingy corners and slightly shabby bench style tables. I could easily imagine an evening here being accompanied by the obligatory sticky floors associated with a real pub with excellent live music and an energetic student vibe. In short; I wish I was living in halls - if I was I think I would be here every night.Food....wow! Not only is it priced to suit a student bank balance, there is also loads of it and it's delicious! My only complaint could be that there was too much of it. I felt uncomfortably full before finishing and was quite disappointed that I didn't have room to sample a dessert. Loved it. Can't wait to visit again.

Travelled here from southport after previously speaking to them on Facebook. Being told we can order food before 9 and would not need a ticket to enter tonight. Arrived after a drive and short walk from where I parked, to be greeted by 'hi have you got a ticket' Was told we could not eat as kitchen closes at half 8, it was about 8.35pm. I then showed him the conversation with him, he said would 'double check' as if they chefs lied to him the first time. He then came back with a very unimpressed colleague. He then very regretfully offered me a table, making us feel very unwelcome. His colleague stood next to him also looking very unwelcoming.Worst customer service I have ever experienced. Never again.Sincerely, Mark

The Ferret may have the best burgers anywhere. The portions are huge, the choice is varied and interesting and it's not expensive. And the ice cream is to die for! They have some really weird and wonderful inventions like the pizza burger, which doesn't come in a bun, but on a mini pizza base, covered in tomato pizza sauce. The one thing is if you don't want to be bombarded with live music then come to eat before any bands start (around 7pm I think?) otherwise it gets really loud. I will be back again. And again. And again...

Cool indie place, staff very friendly, cool music and good vibes. I will be visiting again. I tried the mammoth ribs I didn't finish them lol

We came for lunch today, the portion sizes are more than generous, we were stuffed :-) food is very nice, great flavours. Will be back again

Been coming here for years. The food is great. It's a well known live music venue and the stage setup is good. However, the music is always way too loud. It's only a small room. I appreciate that putting everything through the PA gives a much better balanced sound, but within one song, your eardrums really feel it. It's not necessary. I know many people who regularly walk in here looking for a good pint (the beer is great - never had a bad pint here) and good music and turn right around as soon as they realise the music is at ear drum damaging levels every single time. You can't hear the person next to you if they're shouting to you at the top of their voice when the music is on. Preston needs great venues like this to be inclusive. This has the potential to be a legendary venue. Live music sounds great loud, but this is beyond belief. Everything else is spot on - just please keep the music at a reasonable level!!!

Right up our street! The burgers were amazing, we will 100% visit here again, also I'd recommend the chicken wings. Thanks for a great meal will come again!

My family have eaten at the ferret many times in the last few years: It's a very relaxed and quirky venue with a fantastic beer list great music and an amazing selection of burgers, hotdogs and other smokehouse favourites. The portions are HUGE and the food is creative and super tasty. The new kids menu is no exception and my kids love it. Since visiting the ferret I never order a burger anywhere else because I can guarantee that it will not be as good. The ferret is definitely in our top three eateries in Preston. We simply love it!

The Ferret is by far my favourite bar in Preston. It's relaxed, friendly, has a covered outside area, the staff are great and the food and drinks are always spot on. They offer a small vegan and gluten free menu, which is always tasty and filling! They will alter none vegan and gluten free options to give more choice. When they have done this for me the staff have always been very thorough in checking requests with the chef! The same goes with the drinks on offer. Staff are knowledgable about the products that they offer and always happy to research them if they don't have an answer. The music is always great too.

Have been to The Ferret numerous times and their smoked meats are a thing of beauty. Always leave fully satisfied and I can recommend everything. This time I had the Lamb Burger with caramelised onion and goats cheese. Beautiful.

Great food - the brisket sandwich off the lunch menu was delicious and a bargain, the meat being lovely and tender - instead of tough as old boots like it often is at BBQ gaffs. Great ale + the evening cocktail menu looked interesting, but we were there too early to try them. Little outdoor seating area was nice and shaded. Helpful and friendly staff - overall bang on! 

From the outside, it doesn't do any justice but the place itself is so so good. The staff are wonderful, the food is amazing and the music they play is ideal! One of my new found favourites.

Food looked impressive but it tasted bland. Asked for ketchup and mayo and was told there was no ketchup and we would have to pay an extra 70p for BBQ sauce. The Mac and cheese was really tasteless but the sweet potato fries were good. Overall, not that impressed. I don't live in Preston but if I was back in town again, I wouldn't bother coming here. Sorry!

Really good quality food in massive portions by people who obviously care. I have tried the burgers and hotdogs and nothing in Preston comes remotely close. Great gig venue too. Very much recommended!

Food fantastic - as always. Eaten here several times and never been let down. Service is personal and the staff seem to really care that you have a great experience. Very highly recommended.

Absolutely fantastic!Service was good, but the food was out of this world!I dined with my friend from Germany & she said it was the best burger in the whole UK! Highly recommend.

My experience is that good I'm sat here in the location writing it. This place is in the middle of student land Preston and is aimed at a live music audience . My fiancé,myself and step daughter entered and couldn't have been made more welcome. The venue offers an atmosphere that you would honestly expect in a live music bar in the USA. For Preston the ribs were amazing. The service, the food and the location are one hundred percent right on this location. One very slight criticism would be some sort of wet wipe being given for orders of ribs and wings. Other than that very well done. We will be back again.

Only been here once but wow the food is to die for... Will definitely return in the near future, was very disappointed with the dessert but you can't really grumble too much with the quality of the main!

I just popped in for a couple of beers but the food looked that good I had to try. I wasn't disappointed, food was awesome. I will return

Only been here twice but it's well worth a visit. Heard about the burgers and went to check those out: I had a stupidly good burger! Properly ground beef with the smokehouse flavour and with an honest to goodness taste that I would travel a long way for. Guest IPA of Neck Oil was a lovely surprise too. The music that then started, going through sound checks etc. to the main event of The Capital Gig was soooooooo good. Brilliant crowd too - lots of very good beards and tattoos, great, great place. I can't recommend it to you enough.

I've been going to The Ferret for the past 10 years, and there's nowhere else in Preston quite like it. I was originally apprehensive after the refurbishment a year or two back, but I shouldn't have been. The new food menu and layout have been incredible additions, and has made it even better.If you're in Preston, you owe it to yourself to come here. It's now a Preston institution.

I have been coming to this place for the last decade and in the beginning it was only known for having good live music. But in the last couple of years, after a refurbishment it now has great food and great live music.I love this place, the good here is amazing. They have a great menu and everything on the menu is really good. Definitely not your normal pub grub.The place itself can be seen packed with students pretty much every night which is a good sign that it is good.As well has the incredible food they have a nice selection of drinks, they have a much wider selection of exotic drinks ie not your normal boring Carlings and Fosters.I would highly recommend this place to anyone to have something to eat or drink.

Great burgers, good alcohol selection and excellent music. The vibe is always friendly here. My favourite Preston night out.

I have heard lots of good reviews for The Ferret and was able to experience it for the first time last night. The choice of Burger, Hot Dogs and Hoagies is really good but after long deliberation I went for the Lamb Burger. I am not a burger fan normally but OMG this was sensational and HUGE!!!!! Served with Ferret Fries and pickled relish, the flavours were wonderful and the burger was cooked to perfection. There is a saying "why have a burger when you can have steak" - this needs to be re-worded as "why have a burger when you can have a Ferret Burger". The atmosphere was really good - it was nice and busy even though it was only 6:00. If you like burgers then you MUST give The Ferret a try.

We visited this place for my birthday meal with the family and it is a place we will definitely visit again.Three of us had burgers which were fantastic and the other two had chilli dogs, my wife said the chilli is one of the hottest chilli's she has ever had.The real ales are great, but after trying one of the ales I tried the Samuel Adams Boston Larger, I have to say that is now one of my favourite beers.The staff were very friendly and helpful. If you are thinking about trying this place I would urge you to give it a go, you won't be disappointed.

Love the food here. Great portion sizes, tasty food, with a great American menu ... which I can only compare to Man v's Food!!

If you like real ale, go there. Cocktails? Go there. Burgers?go there. Ribs? Go there. Live music? Go thereAll accompanied with a beautiful bunch of bar stools serving youMuch love for the ferret <3Seriously, what else can you be after?

I went to watch friends in the last band standing competition and the whole atmosphere was welcoming. The food looked amazing and my friends say it tastes amazing. I would go here again.

Wow wow wow! My friend and I visited here yesterday after a quick gander at the menu online!What a great choice! Our food came very quickly and was amazing! I got a double stacked because I was starving... yeah, didn't need to! A single would fill anyone!Also, chicken wings are the size of a golden eagles! Amazing. Service was great and although we didn't drink, I could see there was was plenty to choose from alcoholwise!Thank you to The Ferret! Best meal I've had in a long time!!

Had the Don a pizza and a burger. Couldn't fault it or the service. Would definitely recommend the ferret

OK, this place wouldn't suit if you were going out for a quiet / romantic dinner, but I went with a party from work (about 10 of us) and we had an awesome night.The live music was great, to a point where I have now started following one of the bands, and the food was BIG and BEAUTIFUL.The only mistake I made was having the double burger, there is enough with just one - but my eyes are always bigger than my belly.For a big party on a busy night, they handled us brilliantly - all the food came out at the same time and there were no complaints from any of us.I tried a friend's Ribs as well, they are very tender and tasty. Can't wait to go back,

Had my first and definitely not my last visit to The Mad Ferret to sample the smokehouse food.Situated in the heart of student land this is essentially a student pub, which has great live music several times a week and serves excellent food. If you like posh tables and waiting staff this definitely is the place for you.The menu consists of burgers, ribs, chicken, wraps, sandwiches with that wonderful smokehouse taste. All reasonably priced and well presented. If you fancy something different, definitely worth a try.

I've always been a fan of The Ferret for its live music, and still infrequently attend gigs (especially if Midas Fall are playing). However, they've really upped their game in the food department and when I feel the urge to pig out on great tasting American themed food this is the place to go (and that urge is more prevalent that I would like to admit).I'm a massive fan of the mammoth ribs although I've yet to dare them for a second time (they're called mammoth for a very good reason), so on my last visit I opted for the Mexican't burger. A very decent vegetarian dish (vegan too, as many of their veggie options are). Not the best burger I've had there, but that's testament to how good their burgers are as a whole. I will be back again soon.

I actually adore The Ferret. Ive been going for a few years now, and never once has it been below great. The food menu now is just impecable, i crave it all the bloody time!The staff are remarkable, the atmosphere is my favourite and the entire place is a gem to Preston!

Fresh ingredients, stunning ideas and fabulous tastes - if only all pubs served food like the Ferret. If you love meat, then get yourself here. If you are vegetarian then you will not be disappointed, amazing tastes

We stopped in after a day in Preston simply as it was close by. Couldn't believe how lucky a choice that was. Despite being a student bar, the welcome was warm and cheery, service was quick and the kids felt really comfortable.We ordered a few burgers, dog, wrap and sides, but when the food arrived we thought we'd over ordered as there was loads! Everything was cooked to perfection, presented really nicely and had a real authentic US feel. The live band setting up gave the kids a great experience and when they finally burst into action we had a ball singing and dancing around the table.We stayed wayyyyy longer than intended and arrived home very late, very stuffed and felt we had the perfect end to a special day.Thanks ferrets!

First off, i get its a student place, being next to the uni. We work away most of the time and always look for quirky places to eat, this ticks the boxes. Beers were awesome. Good selection. Food was amazing. Unless you have a bottomless pit of a stomach, ordering the mammoth ribs and pterodactyl wings, dopple cow ganger burger, sweet potato fries, corn and the filthy fries between two people was just plain silly. It was all fresh and very tasty, cheap too! Only thing i wasnt keen on was the grungy look and the toilets that were covered in graffiti, but that didnt spoil the meal. Will be back. Mebbies no sides next time.

After the absolute disappointment and poor service the husband and I experienced at Burgers n Bibs we thought we'd give the Ferret a whirl for a burger fix and we weren't disappointed!! Firstly Sam Adams on tap makes me a very happy lady AND in the branded pint glass too. The sign we were in for a good night Food arrived promptly and was piping hot. Sweet potato chips were nice and crispy rather than soggy chunks of potato. We both had the Feral Burger and it was HUGE! It was so tasty, cooked and piled with chunky pulled pork. I'm ashamed to say I had to resort to a knife and fork it was that big. I'm getting hungry just writing about it so I'll leave it there. Needless to say well definitely be making a return visit

Went here last night for my friends birthday, we were given free wings for just turning up as a group of lovelabe lads(maybe) I had ribs which are always good and most other people had a burger which all looked great and left everyone very full. Great beers and ciders on tap and the staff were really helpful but not in a fake way. 10 out of 10 would go again

I am a regular visitor to America and absolutely love the BBQ and smokehouse food over there. I have been all over the UK looking for something which comes even close to what you get in the States and this place is the only one where they have managed it. I had the smoked hotdog with the homemade brisket chilli and it was fantastic. The hotdog had that real 'snap' of a real smoked sausage and was not the soggy tinned affair you usually get in the UK. The portions were fantastic and the surroundings casual and relaxed. The American beers (Sam Adams and Blue Moon) on draught were also a great touch. Can't recommend the place highly enough!

I got a Trip Advisor account just so I could leave a review for this place. Been at Uni in Preston for a year and finally convinced my boyfriend to go here for dinner with me, and it was the best decision ever! I am a BBQ sauce addict, so I got the BBQ ribs with fries, costing just under £9. The rack was hunongous with plenty of meat on them which literally fell off the bone, they were heavenly and I was defeated by the portion. My boyfriend got 12 wings and a side of corn on the cob; said they were very good but was also defeated. Amazing meal, such good value for money, so glad we went and will definitely be back again in the very near future. Staff were very friendly too which topped off the visit, fantastic place!

Great place for meaty eats and hard rock music! Great local music scene and a young, alternative vibe. Be warned though, it gets LOUD in here. Burgers are absolutely spot on, particularly the cajun black and blue! The Burger of the Week keeps things interesting and the filthy fries - sour cream, guac, bean chilli and cheese on fries - are to die for!Not exactly fine dining, but the best burgers in Preston by far.

As always fantastic food at the Ferret. One small let down was it was a Friday and they had run out of the ingredients for the Burger of The Week and had to choose something different.

I had the Ferret Burger with Sweet Potato fries. The smoked pulled pork was very good and the fries were brilliant unfortunately the 8 oz Beef patty was really disappointing and bland, if it tasted as good as the rest of the burger they'd have had five stars.

Fantastic staff great food, music and beer. Ask for deer hunter or black Jesus. You won't be disappointed. Great American style food all freshly made

I've been to the ferret a few times on a night out but even against the recommendation from EVERYONE I've never eaten there, until today.The staff behind the bar were welcoming and prompt, the atomosphere was a bit quiet but I've known it to be very, very busy too.. The purpose of the review is to comment on the food however, which is hands down some of the best food I've eaten out in Preston. The portion sizes were HUGE, the beef was so succulent and juicy and the brisket on top of my burger in their signature bbq sauce was really mouth-watering. The bar itself kinda has that. "hipster appeal" to it so it may not sit well with some people, but I'd wholeheartedly recommend that anyone and everyone try the food here if you like Smokey barbecue goodness. 5*!

A friend and I both in our late 20's visited here after hearing they did amazing burgers. So we visited for my birthday. We ordered our food and drinks the staff were nice and drinks lovely. Our burgers however were cold and raw. The bun (bread) was soggy from the salad and we physically could not eat. We were on a time limit that day as I had my newborn with us so no time to complain and wait for food to be re cooked. The sweet potato fries were nice. But all I all a poor experience. More a student bar than anything else.

Met up with an old friend here as we used to come a lot years ago back when it was a bar and live music venue - it was always my favourite place to go at weekends due to the fantastic live music. I'm glad this aspect of the place hasn't changed! We tried the food and found it to be great - the burgers are massive and taste good with decent fries. Would recommend stopping by if you're in the area!

This place has never featured highly on my wish list but a friend enjoys it and asked me to join her last week for lunch. Was very pleasantly surprised! Lovely little venue, perfect location, good prices, good grub, music was ok too ... Really can't complain. I'll probably only return with my friend (whenever we next meet up) but it is a nice little place.

Come here mainly for the food but they do have live music which is a bonus. Had ribs a few times always been good fall off the bone and enough meat on them. Chicken is excellent as well as the sliders and the brisket is superb. The only downside to this place is the temperature if your sat in the booths or near the doors it can be very cold especially this time of year. Great if you fancy something filling and well made and won't break the bank.

Most know if this place for the live music. But we went during the day just after lunch time.It was quiet, relaxed and served the most amazing burgers I've had in the UK!A good down to earth bar with good food, pleasant staff and imported beers. What more could you want.

A very casual bar, friendly staff and some great barbecue style food.I had the mammoth rib, it was excellent, so tasty and I would say left me wanting more if I hadn't been so full.Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Entertainment. Food . Drinks. Staff. All very good .Boston larger very nice .I'd go again . Thank you all at at the Ferret .

Shame to read the recent poor reviews. I feel the Ferret is one of the few places in Preston trying to make this style of (smokehouse) cooking popular. I love the way they constantly change the burger menu - while keeping the classic staples on offer. i am always interested to see what they come up with next. The chef certainly seems excited by his subject! The most recent variation I tried was the California Dreamin Burger. As stated, an 8oz Ground Steak Burger. Topped with Citrus Smoked Bacon and Soft Cheese. Served on a Toasted Brioche Bun with Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion and a Handmade Garlic Aioli. Accompanied by Fried Avocado Pieces, Orange Ketchup, and a Mixed Leaf Garnish with Citrus Salad Dressing. What a mouthful of ingredients, and indeed, of a burger.As always, a perfectly cooked huge beef pattie smothered in nice things all contained in a classic brioche with little taste explosions going of as you bite through. Hate to think how many calories. No chips with this one as it comes with little avocado bites. Not sure about these fellas, as they lacked taste. Could have done with something spicy added. Also, the little tub of aioli needs a bit more work. Great imagination though and I applaud you for that.This will have to be one of my favorite Ferret burgers.Although an almighty meal by itself I also had the sweet potato wedges and corn cobs (love what they do with those). Great meal, certainly enough for two.I've eaten in before but unless you are with a bunch of friends and in a good mood I don't think the grungy atmosphere is the best for snacking. The atmosphere would be better if you could see or smell the kitchen, which I assume is upstairs. I found they do take-out which is fine for me This was take out. Comes in little boxes with condiments etc. Still warm when I got home.It does take time to arrive but I suppose that's because everything is made to order. You can always enjoy a pint or two while waiting, unlike you normal takeaways (it is a pub remember). Service from the bar has always been okay every time I visit. No problems there. What puts me off eating here more often is the price. The star burger was almost £11. Quite expensive for take out and even more so if you order extras (£2.50 for the wedges, £2.95 for corn, total cost £16.40).By the way, I notice they are using one of my photos on the online site. Maybe I should ask them for a free burger!

I took my student son to The Ferret after checking the reviews on here, the bar is a bit funky without being too self consciously trendy - lots of long hair and beards but no man buns! The food was really good - the portions are huge however so dont eat anything for 24 hours before you go. Friendly staff, decent service and real ale - my only quibble is that it proved one of my long standing theories about small venues - decent beer = bad wine! but there is always vodka.

Fancied somewhere different as have tried most places in Preston. The reviews were mostly positive so thought we'd give it a go. Sadly not to be repeated! Food was just about warm served on cold plates, burger smelt and tasted not cooked so had to leave it. Fries were ok if they'd been hotter and the service was anything but hot, more interested in sitting there with headphones on an playing with phone!

I actually thought it was a smokehouse but nothing within my visit made me believe this to be true! Having visited several smokehouses within USA then this is nothing remotely similar. Would like to see behind the scenes but sadly won't be returning! Also warmer plates and warmer atmosphere would be better!!!

When the food arrived it was shoved in front of us, the server went off without a word, never to be seen or heard from again, no salt/pepper or table sauces offered. Ribs were mostly all bone, meat that was on was extremely tough. I had sliders, the bread was stale, meat was cold and inedible. I had high hopes for this place, but was left extremely dissatisfied.

Thank again for great venue, food and drinks for my 40th , compliments again to the chef who managed 22 covers all being served at same time, and putting up with my laid back organisation ( took us I thing over an hour to order....), and less turning up for food than expected. Think you have earned some new customers and I will continue to come for special occasions for top burgers and relaxed chilled out afternoon, thanks also to bar staff, coped well with my bunch of friends. Well recommended for get togethers,ignore other comments - give them a break - give them a try ;)

If you like your burgers, this is the place for you. Up there with the best burgers I've tried. It's a live music venue but don't be put off by that. Just get there before the gig or you can enjoy (sometimes )the music while you eat

At last someone in Preston has realised that Smokehouse food has become popular. If you like people with beards, The Smiths, proper ale and things involving pulled pork (as I do), then the Ferret will be right up your preverbial. Although it’s sad to hear that The Ferret is seen as ‘somewhere different’ in Preston, when it is a carbon copy of many other places in other Northern cities.The Ferret is perfectly located for students, and I can’t understand why it’s not absolutely full of them all the time. The quality of the food is good and given the generous portion sizes also great value.Well done The Ferret!

Having become accustomed to eateries like this in Manchester, it's nice to see a place closer to home giving it a go.The service was good and the food was okay, although I think there is certainly room for improvement. The burgers were a bit on the dry side and the side of beans we had were very tangy.Overall, we would give this place another go if we were in Preston.

Let me start off by saying that this review is not for the sake of turning people away from The Ferret. I have hear only great things about their food, music, staff, quiz night, all great things. It is more of a heads up, might want to check in before you make your way there. Although we did check the times before we came, we were not so lucky. This is my first review and I hate that it's a negative review. I have been traveling all over Europe and have been holding off for a good burger because my cousin told me about The Ferret. He raved about this place and I was looking forward to it for some time now. Everything started great. Staff behind the bar was helpful and cheerful, one of them took a family photo for us, life was good.After sitting down and looking at a menu for 20 minutes, we are told that the kitchen was closed at 8pm. The bartender was nice enough to grab the chef for us so we could get an explanation. We had eight hungry people who had already had a few drinks. Before going any further, let me say that on Facebook, we were told the kitchen serves till 9pm. On the menu, it says they serve till 9pm. On the wall next to our table, it says they serve till 9pm and a little bit later in the evening, the chef tells us himself the kitchen closes at 9pm.The chef comes to us and we hope to hear a good reason for the kitchen closing. He tells us he is tired and follows up with, "It's my kitchen and I'm closing it."We have all been there, I have felt the same way, totally understandable to be tired. It is not what he said, it is how he said it. He spoke back to my family and gave us attitude, then walked away. I can go on and on about it but you get the idea. We finished our drinks and walked out. The only person who apologized to us was the guy running the quiz night. Super nice guy.So in the end, we could have shown up an hour earlier and this might have been a 5-star review but luck was not in our favor but on principal, it's a darn shame. Again, this is not a review to keep you away from the Ferret but know that this was our experience. Perhaps this review would be more helpful to the owners. This chef is bad news and he either mans up and runs the kitchen or you find someone that will. I wont be coming back here.

It is one of the best pub in Preston!!!Good food and good beers! Every weekend there is great music from rock to indie!!!

A lively bar with live music most nights. Be careful what you order - I had the Feral Ferret burger and fries. A small mountain on a plate arrived and by the time I'd worked my way through it I left most of the fries. Good food and a good variety. This place has no pretensions but it serves food at a very reasonable price and has a good selection of cask ales.

I have been a number of times now and had a great service every time. The food is superb and the burger of the week keeps things interesting. Would recommend going for lunch while it's quiet before it gets busy in the evening.

I didn't realise the ferret had changed until recently. It used to be a little scruffy. Now they've done it up it's really cool, feels a bit like some of the places you'd find in Manchester Northern Quarter. Everyone loved the food. Can't believe how big the burgers were! I couldn't finish mine.I think me and my friends have found a new fav place to go out.

Nice food in a nice setting. The pub is styled really well.The menu has a good range of "smoke house" food. Several nice sounding burgers and a different Burger of the Week every week.I had the chicken wrap and it was really good; loads of chicken and nice side salad.Will be going again.