The Old Harkers Arms in Cheshire West and Chester

Nice environment but poor service

Lovely locals pub.. fabulous nuanced menu and affordable, high-quality wine list…on quiet canal… will definitely be back

Always a favourite of mine when in Chester. Great location, beers and food. Handy for the last train home as well 😁

Good food. Great atmosphere. Friendly service.

What a find! Walked from the Mill Hotel along the canal. The place was packed! We asked to join a couple of couples. Had a good crack! Food was tasty and plentiful.

Excellent service from all the staff, extra mention for the young man who went above and beyond every times. food was great and ambience was excellent. Looking forward to the summer and being able to drink a plum porter in the sun.

Always busy here, good selection of drinks, great place to eat too. Good choice for a start of a night out.

Very busy vibrant place on a Wednesday evening. Loved it

Lovely canal side location for a drink outside.

I love Harkers, have been going for years and it has always been my go-to when in Chester - its child-free and dog-friendly policy is great. However, the last couple of visits have been a disappointment for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the quality and price of the food recently has been a concern. I dont mind paying more when the food is great, but the standard has really slipped recently. Portions are smaller, and the quality doesnt seem to be as good as in the past. What youre now paying is restaurant prices for a pub meal and not a fantastic pub meal at that... Its a real shame. My second concern is that they really need to sort out the loos. On a recent visit we were sat at the table nearest the loos as one of our party had mobility issues. However, every time someone went in or out the smell has overwhelming. I understand that the loos have no windows, so its always going to be a challenge, but this was pretty awful (and it was January).... Our last trip to Chester it was suggested we go to Harkers as usual but we decided to go to a restaurant instead. Enough said. Come on Harkers, sort it out...

Only stopped for a drink on the way to the station. Lovely pub, food looked nice and staff very friendly and helpful.

Great traditional pub, with real fires

We where a party of 7. 2 friends ordered the steak which was mediocre. We mentioned this to a member of staff and received attitude. No knowledgement and no response. Shame as the rest of the staff seemed lovely

Very tasty food and friendly service. Go for the steak mmmm

Good beer and food. Good selection of real ale 6 to 7. Busy on a Monday night! Worth a visit.

Had a lovely sunday roast here with my family. The vegan wellington was so nice, and my family all enjoyed the beef. Great portion sizes and extra gravy available at no charge! Sides of pigs in blankets and stuffing were a little pricey but big portion. Everyone super happy and will definitely come back!

Didn't eat here Cracking pub ,great location , friendly staff & good beer My one gripe is that I ordered what should have been a dark bitter & the young man serving went to get it from another pump , but it was not a dark bitter he served me, however it was very nice so let it be

What an amazing pub and restaurant. The service, beer and food is top notch snd added to the beautiful surroundings, it makes for a brilliant experience. There’s even table service for beers and our server Owen was attentive and friendly and great at his job, which topped off an enjoyable visit perfectly.

Everything was so delicious that I have no words. We haven't been to such a friendly place for a long time - the service was lovely! Thank you.

Used to be a nice pub for a drink, but when did it become so expensive? Eye watering prices and a real shock when it comes to paying! Ouch! London prices in Chester. A pity, because it's a nice pub for a drink.

Had food and drinks. Excellent service and quality. Will come again. Highly recommend 👌

Always nice to come across a place that oozes history and is clearly a popular watering hole & eatery for many generations. A short walk along the canal from our hotel one weekday early evening, it looked inviting and was quite full, although spacious enough for noise levels to be perfectly acceptable. Very pleasant staff found us a table although we hadn't booked, followed by some very nice beer from a local brewery. Food was top notch, perfectly cooked, hot and pleasantly presented. A shared dessert completed a very nice meal. The history of the place as a former shoe factory is very nicely depicted, and an excellent guide explains how the Arms came into being despite some technical difficulties with the former structure! Not cheap, but very good value in my opinion for fare & ambience.Fascinating, and definitely one to revisit on a future stay. Plaudits to the owners & staff for creating this fine pub, highly recommended.

3 course dinner.. Buffalo chicken wings with blue cheese dip: 5 wings..spicy, bigger than expected and oh so tasty. Rump steak with peppercorn sauce: Steak was beautifully cooked (medium), sauce was nice enough but no no visible peppercorns, crushed or whole. Tasted nice though. Sticky toffee pudding: Disappointing. The pudding itself was cold and dense, rather like a cake that was a few days too old, the sauce & ice cream were minimal...

Wonderful gastropub, great atmosphere (busy Friday night - glad we had booked!). Prawns and squid perfectly cooked, fall-off-the-bone lamb and the most amazing sea trout dish ever. Friendly and professional service. A very enjoyable experience - faultless!

An outing with friends, great location with a good wine and beer selection. The food can be improved on however we would like to try it again to give the venue a second chance, by ordering other dishes.

Great atmosphere as usual, very attentive staff, great food and drinks, many thanks. Can recommend the crispy beef salad.

What a fabulous place. Excellent food and staff who understood our family group totally. We had brilliant service and total understanding regarding a family member who has special needs. Special mention to staff members Mark, Samantha and Hamish who were so supportive and understanding

Everything a pub should be and more. Spacious, chilled, excellent beers on tap, food first class. I could and have spent hours in this place

With a wide range of hand pulled beers and excellent food, this is an absolute must visit for anyone going to Chester. We were advised to book even for a Monday evening and could see why, as when we arrived at 7pm it was already full of drinkers and diners. The bar staff and restaurant staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The food was that good, that we decided to book for the Tuesday evening as well and just like Monday it was full again. Not hard to see why it was, the food was great and all the plates went back to the kitchen empty, which shows how good it is.

Food not up to usual excellent standard. Chips very undercooked. Service slow which is unusal. Despite these glitches always recommend Harkers.

Fab traditional pub. No music, no TV. Busy, great food and drink choice and very sociable staff and customers. Loved it.

Generally still a good place for a drink or food. Chips were not on top form on my recent visit, but the fish was very good.

Came here for a lunchtime meal with a group of friends. Food and service was great. A very refreshing change to have an adults only pub without a load of unruly kids running around the place, ruining the atmosphere.

Expensive pub excellent atmosphere and staff

Always my first port of call on my way from the station to the city centre. Good range of real ale on offer, decent food and good staff.

Great place for a drink and food

Great pub. Decent food, (had a delicious Lamb dish this time), good beer selection, great atmosphere and service.

First class service and food. Impressive selection of drinks. Highly recommend.

Always great!! I come every time I visit Chester, just perfect! Congrats and thanks for a excellent friendly service!

Excellent food, friendly staff and lovely atmosphere.

Had agreat new years eve there. Atmosphere and food was superb. Highly recommended 👌

Great pub. Good beer, food, atmosphere and no kids whooopeeee! The staff were brilliant to

Great popular pub for relaxing by the canal. Excellent food, drink and service.

My daughter booked us a meal for two here. Good food choices for our dietary needs. Great veggie fish cakes , gluten free steak pie plus g.f sticky toffee pudding were hot,tasty and enjoyed. Good choices re wines too. Set in a very cosy,welcoming environment Plus very friendly and attentive staff . Our celebrations for my special birthday were indeed special 🥳❤️,thank you all at Harkers .

Best Sunday roast I've had apart from the ones I cook myself. Can't recommend this enough - perfect

We enjoyed a terrific meal, starters were novel and delicious, and halibut perfectly prepared. It’s not fine dining, but great value and the service and atmosphere there are always the best we have found in the area.

Came for a family meal on Saturday 21st December and although it was packed the atmosphere was lovely, the staff were fantastic and the food was delicious. The brass band coming into play was a lovely festive touch too. We'll definitely be coming back!

Fantastic meal Fantastic Pub and even better staff cannot fault it in any way

Always great service here and prices are reasonable for the city centre. Recommended

Place was really busy but the helpful staff managed to squeeze us in. We only wanted a light lunch but it was excellent, just what we needed. Even though they were very busy the staff were extremely pleasant

Always an enjoyable and consistent experience at Harkers.....cosy ambiance, super food and friendly professional service. However...our experience last Saturday lunchtime marred by a group of very loud and ignorant men at the next table, old enough to know better than to behave like childish yobs. Would be good if staff could be trained to deal with these louts who spoil the Harker's reputation.

We booked a table for Saturday 7th 12.30 till 14.30 great service great food and great atmosphere, even though they were very busy the staff worked very hard and had time for us ,we will be back every time we visit chester many thanx jon and karen

My wife and I had a very nice dinner...food was lovely...but the staff were fantastic...we had some noisy people near us and the staff bent over backwards to help and offered to move us to a quiet table. Beer was jolly nice too. Overall very impressed...thanks.

The Old Harkers Arms on the canal near Chester Train Station and the Mill Spa Hotel is at the heart of Chester.Excellent!

Having made an error on our booking I believe the young guy may have been the Manager fitted three of us in to what was a very busy night. Food was excellent and came quickly allowing us to get to our gig on time. Thank you,

Good selection of drinks. Friendly staff. Ideal for the Train Station. The food selection looked good.

What's not to like. Absolutely amazing food drinks and atmosphere

The Old Harkers Arms, Chester. Quality pub and restaurant. Superb selection of well kept real ale. I had the Cheshire Cat bitter which is a lovely pint. They were doing a ‘pie week’ and what a menu that was - absolutely delicious. Needs to be on more than once a year it’s so good. A very well kept place. Bar man / owner had been there 12 years.

Our favourite pub. ADULTS only...great atmosphere...amazing food & super friendly staff 😋 our go to place when in CHESTER.

We had a lovely meal last night. Everything we ordered was extremely delicious, we were not disappointed. The staff were very friendly and attentive. They made sure we were satisfied with our meal and nothing was too much trouble for the waiter. I ordered the Goan Aubergine curry. It was divine

Great service, good food, lively atmosphere, only downside is the noise level which can be a pain at times definitely a great location for an evening out though 😉

What a fabulous pub - a great selection of pump beers, lagers, ciders and wine plus a fabulous selection of food available. A very welcoming pub and I chose a walking guide from there to do a walking tour with. Yes, it was printed in 2013 and started inaccurate as there was pavement works going on but it was a good way to spend the day. Also ended up here with my mate Steve going back in for more of the Cheshire Cat!! Lol

Never been here before, but it was great. They have a great selection of beers including zero alcohol Guinness..! We didn't have any food, but the food that wizzed past us looked very nice. Great atmosphere..!

Consistenly my favorite place to meet up with friend

The Old Harker Arms in Chester is a charming, canal-side pub located just a 5-minute walk from Chester railway station and around a 15-minute stroll from the historic Chester Cross. Known for its classic British menu, I tried the Beer-Battered Fish and Chips and opted for garden peas instead of mushy peas, which was a nice touch. The fish was coated in a crispy, golden beer batter, and the chips were thick and perfectly cooked, balancing a crunchy exterior with a fluffy inside. The pub also boasts an impressive selection of craft ales, which makes it easy to find a great pairing for your meal. The combination of traditional fare, great beers, and a convenient location makes The Old Harker Arms an excellent choice for anyone visiting Chester.

A lovely place for a drink friendly staff

Great location on the canal, great beer, and food lovely served by very friendly staff.

Lively pub Crowded and noisy in a good way. Dogs welcome if well behaved Staff attentive and friendly Food good Good beers and red wine We went early in the evening Prefer daytime as it's quieter Dog loved it! 🐕🐾🦴

We had a fantastic evening. Nine of us, ranging in age from 30s to well over 70, and all enjoyed it. The staff were friendly and super efficient. The food was gorgeous, in generous portions. Thank you so very much for this very special time.

Lovely meals in a really quaint pub. Excellent service too. A must go to place of every in Chester.

Great pub, staff were amazing, food was amazing highly reccomend!

The Old Harkers Arms in Chester is probably the best pub in the World! Scenically placed by the canal, with great food but it's the staff that really make it. They literally can't do enough for you, always welcoming and attentive. I started going about a year ago and now travel to Chester every week just to visit this pub. I don't know how they maintain such a level of service across all staff members but I'm never disappointed. Special shout out to Mark who, having finished his shift, with coat on and half way out the door, spotted my nearly empty glass and came back in to pour and deliver me another pint before he left! I tell all the Uber drivers that take & fetch me about how good it is and they always agree it's got a great reputation!

Found a waitress curt in service. But didn't let this spoil our meal.

Enjoyable pint, good selection of ales. Was nice to sit outside by the water. Did not try the food but prices looked reasonable.

Nice canal side location. Busy on a Saturday afternoon. Quite expensive. Didn't eat but the food looked good. Staff attentive. "No energy drink" policy which I admire and am frustrated by in almost equal measure. Will go back, but not in a rush to do so.

A busy pub with good selection of ales/beers. Didn't have food but plenty of punters eating.

Always enjoy the atmosphere here. Beer and food are excellent.

One of the most authentic destination pubs in Chester. Housed in a an old canal warehouse with many original features, sensitively restored. Canal-side outdoor seating, great service, extensive menu. Allows dogs throughout, but not children.

Good beers. Nice ambiance. Gets busy and noisy

The Old Harkers Arms in Chester is probably the best pub in the World! Scenically placed by the canal, with great food but it’s the staff that really make it. They literally can’t do enough for you, always welcoming and attentive. I started going about a year ago and now travel to Chester every week just to visit this pub. I don’t know how they maintain such a level of service across all staff members but I’m never disappointed. Special shout out to Mark who, having finished his shift, with coat on and half way out the door, spotted my nearly empty glass and came back in to pour and deliver me another pint before he left! I tell all the Uber drivers that take & fetch me about how good it is and they always agree it’s got a great reputation!

Lovely pub, nice outdoor seating w. Heating

Adequate menu - not all items were available. Food was mostly enjoyed though some vegs were a little undercooked. The brownie was far far too sweet. Portions were a decent size Very good service despite being busy. A popular eatery, Booking recommended. Rather too noisy in some areas

The Sunday roast was lovely, and the lady who served us was really attentive

Great gluten free choice, as well as beer. Typical English place

Travelled 2 hours as a friend said the food was nice got there to be told they dont accept kids !!! Nowhere on google dose it say no kids !! If your looking for a nice family pub this is not the place to go

We visit Chester regularly to visit our son. We often have a meal in Harkers. The food is excellent and there is always a good selection on the menu. The service is also good.

Been visiting Harkers since the 90s. Great pub, no TVs, no music, no children. But great atmosphere, great food, great drinks and great service. Long may it continue.

We stayed at the Mill Hotel which was awful and as the pub/restaurant was nearby decided to give it a try. It was very busy and we had to wait about half an hour for a table whilst having a drink.The meals were well cooked and the portions generous. we thought the menu was limited and could be expanded a bit. Overall a good experience it is quite noisy very good service

Eve is great as well as all the staff. Eve has gone out of her way to help us with all our needs.The Pub is very friendly and the wines are good would recommend the food not had a bad meal here they even did a chicken breast for my partner when it wasn't on the menu sat here know 29/09/24

Great pub didn't eat there as it was a bit noisy inside and it was a rainy day. But as a pub its great and on a nice day I imagine it's great to eat at

Always a first stopping point! Excellent food, drink and atmosphere. Excellent beer (and general drink selection) and so a very fine pub. Remains an outpost of the great chip age of B&P.

Had a pre-race day breakfast here. Breakfast excellent, service great and in a great location for the station.

Friendly staff and lovely Sunday lunch. Great Bloody Mary to help the hangover. 10/10 would recommend 🙌

Very nice, friendly pub with a good selection of beers.

Fantastic pub in Chester. First time coming here, walked past it many times and thought... Why not. Beautiful interior, plenty of seats inside and it. Lovely decor old style wood interior, good sized bar with lots to offer. Food was amazing, service was also very nice! Had a great lunch here before walking Into the city centre. Would recommend if you're walking to the center from the train station. Easily located and accessible.

Popped in yesterday evening. Was going to stay for one but the had titanic plum porter on, so opted to stay The staff was friendly especially the girl who poured my 2nd beer as she asked if I wanted to start a tab. I declined as was just going to have 2 but it was nice to be offered it.

Good food and an excellent selection of beers and wines. Can't fault it and the canal-side location just adds to the atmosphere.

Great food and location, place looked amazing. Good range of beers, staff seemed a bit distracted apart from one lady who gave us directions. We will visit again to see if I under rated the staff unfairly, a must visit.

The steak is fabulous and melts in your mouth you can tell is cooked with love . The pepper corn sauce is to die for . And the view from across to canal boats . . Just a shame a bit cold

A bit overworked and understaffed this evening, but it all came together. Great roast lamb Sunday feed.