Victor J's Art Bar in East Riding of Yorkshire

Came twice to this lovely little place to eat,The staff especially Chris was very welcoming and the food was lovely, will definitely becoming again when we visit york 🍹🍽

Real independent bar staffed by cool people with Personality! Drinks very well served and reasonable prices. Quirky selection of board games and the music is good too.

We stopped in for a cocktail after a busy afternoon shopping in York. From the outside it looked quaint and interesting. Inside it was quite cramped and the toilets were substandard to say the very least. Our cocktails were okay - lacking in flavour or extravagance. The saving grace was the service which was friendly and polite.

Always rated this bar. However, the barstaff were quite rude on this occasion. I visited with my family and my nephew wanted a mocktail. I asked if he could make it a little special and asked if they had an umbrella or some fruit to put in. Response "it's not the 80's" Not very professional in my opinion and it is little things like this which make me want to choose elsewhere next time. Shame.

We popped in here for a drink with your 7 year old daughter before going for a celebratory meal. Lovely vibe and great play list. Made even better with games, cosy corners and great beer. We left to go to Cut and Craft for a prebooked meal. We were turned away because our child was 7 and unable to eat there at 7.30!! Stay clear not family friendly in the slightest. Never in 7 years have we been turned away from establishments and we’ve ate in finer dining than the cut and craft! Anyway, because we liked this bar we returned. Greeting by the bar man with a friendly ‘nice to see you back so soon’ We explained what had happened and he gave my daughter her drink and a packet of crisps on the house. What a wonderful guy. Didn’t catch his name but he had blonde hair, glasses and was Irish. Top class service from a bar that really didn’t need to go above and beyond. Just sad that we didn’t discover you sooner. If ever we are on York again you’ll be the place we head to first for a pint and a chill. Thank you so much for your kindness tonight.

I stopped by here on a holiday in York and it was a really good Bar love the atmosphere. The staff member was really friendly. We had two cocktails each at a really good price. We sat around for a little while playing some cards because there is a selection of games that you can play as well. I would highly recommend you visit this Bar.

9 friends got different burgers, I think the most popular was the Jamaican jerk burger. They were good and positive to adapt to one of us who had special needs. Thanks

Great place to go for drinks. Went the other day with some mates and had a lovely time. Great atmosphere and the server, Chris, was an absolute delight. Will definitely come again.

Really helpful and accommodating staff, fantastic value and really delicious home cooked food. Great little independent bar/cafe

Lovely location for some lunch and a cocktail, Quiet, clean and reasonably quick service The burger was good but the chips were amazing!

This was probably the worse experience I have ever had. Tables were full of spillages and empty glasses which were not cleared in the 50 minutes I was there, even though there were lapses in customers requiring bar service. Negroni cocktail is advertised but they didn’t have any oranges to prepare one. Our second choice of cocktails contained very little spirit and were very small, watery and severely lacked flavour. The femail bar tender had a very abrasive manner and was continually more interested in chatting and serving shots to a group of friends sat between the window and bar rather than serving customers. At one stage the same femail whilst working behind the bar had a plate of food on the bar countertop which she was eating using a fork. With a mouth full of food and as she was chewing, she kept marching up and down behind the bar waving the said fork high in the air in time to the beat of the music as though she was a musical conductor. Never before have I experienced anything like this and I will never return to this disgraceful place. Do yourself favour and go over the road to Cut and Craft where their Negroni is only 75p more and the staff and surroundings are first class.

We ordered lunch and 2 pornstar martinis at £9.50 each. They were absolutely awful! We took a sip and went to the bar. We were told by the waitress we could have a replacement. They disposed of our pornstars and replaced with 2 espresso martinis which the manager boldly and rudely told us we needed to pay for! Unbelievable he was so rude and clearly his title has gone to his head!!

Lovely bar, the drinks were great and excellent price for the quality. The staff were very friendly and the place had a welcoming atmosphere. Additional bonus was all the game available to play. We had a great time looking forward to a return trip

Great menu and good quality food. A little treat! You need to try the trickles! Lovely ambience and good value for money. I’d recommend.

Rude staff, no customer service skills and watered down drinks. We asked politely for our drink to be filled to the top with mixer and the male bartender rudely replied "I am, don't tell me how to do my job" totally unacceptable. The other drinks requested were clearly watered down.

Returned to Victor J’s after 20yrs on a visit back to york. It’s still an absolute gem of a bar! The 2 for £12 happy hour felt like great value and the cocktails were really good. The burgers were nice too.

Shocking bar. Avoid at all costs. Up for the weekend for the races. Terrible. Will not be back. Staff just don’t care at all. Stood behind the bar pouring themselves pints and drinks all night. Surprised could stand by the end of the night. Didn’t care about the que of people stood waiting to be served just want to chat to each other. Clearly understaffed but clearly too drunk to care! To make matters worse it turns out one of them is the manager! Embarrasing. Will not be returning.

Found Victor J's Bar by accident. We had lunch here the wraps were really good and the fries were fantastic the best we have had in ages. Victor J's is tucked away down a alley, it is small they have a good choice of Ales. The Barman who I do not know is name seemed a bit miserable but this did not stop us eating here. Overall a good place to have a food and drink at a reasonable price.

Staff looked miserable when we entered, ordered 2x margarita’s for £12. They where rancid, cheap alcohol, table salt around the rim, just vile. Felt like I drinking thinners. Would not recommend.

We visited at lunchtime and were blown away by the food… We ordered the chicken and bacon ranch fries to share, I had the French one burger and my partner had the Hot chicken burger. I have to say that it was probably the best meal we’ve had in York for a long time. Definitely would recommend if you’re looking for somewhere for a proper dirty burger and fries… As far as customer service goes I have no complaints but as mentioned in previous reviews the staff aren’t exactly cheery. There is a good range of cocktails and my partner was happy with BrewYork being on tap.. We will be back soon!!

Gorgeous little venue! Absolutely adored Bicole who worked on the bar. What a dream she is! Thank you for my aperol spritz!!! The team were super friendly even on a busy Saturday!!!

Beautiful bar with lovely cocktails at a great price, and very friendly staff! Always make sure to pop by when I’m in York.

I came for breakfast today with my husband and two children. The staff couldn’t have done more for us and my fussy children 😂 The breakfasts were delicious, my husband particularly liked the sausages. The coffees were also good - barista style. The lunch menu looked reasonable too and we will be back soon to try that!

Sorry Jess, (review below) he is still as miserable in the evening. Lovely venue, great board games, great offer. The staff just seemed like they couldn’t be bothered. Whilst ordering the 2 for £12 cocktails he actually turned around whilst rolling his eyes at me. When he did make our drinks, I watched him noticeably under pour the alcohol in the drinks. The owners/manager really need to look into who they have working in this bar before it’s too late. He is destroying your business.

Visited for an afternoon cocktail… not a very welcoming experience to say the least. Bloke serving was very gloomy seemed like he really couldn’t be bothered. Was cold in there as well. Cocktails two for £10 was the only positive I could give. Maybe it’s more of an evening venue and just went at wrong time.

A gorgeous bar, perfect for couples or to meet friends. The cocktail selection is vast, several 2-4-1s all prepared on the spot and to a high spec.

First time visit and will be back again, the team were so friendly and the food and drinks are so reasonable for a bar right in the centre of York. Highly recommended

Just finishing our drinks as they were closing & the lady cleaning down the bar top thought it be good to spray us all with cleaning fluid. No apology at all. Not very friendly.

Walked into York from our house about a mile away with the intention of having a drink here - walked in - plenty of seats free - asked for drinks at the bar only to be told by the staff member that she could serve...

I went to Victor J's because the bar we normally do karaoke at was closed and this was close by. The cocktails were incredible and service from Nicole was amazing. From what I was aware, she was working on her own and absolutely smashed it....

Really nice bar with card and board games. doesnt get overly busy so great for a quieter drink. Good beer

We went out of holidays and this was one of the few bars we found with a nice atmosphere ie plenty people and friendly. The bar staff are spot on and the 2 for £10 classic cocktails are great value. Check it out! Location: 1A...

cool coctail bar with friendly staff!!! nice little joint with good music and good atmosphere, never eaten here so cant comment!!!! give it ago mistro you know you wanna!!!!!!! funky town!!!!!!

Maybe it's the Geordie in me,but going to a bar with my wife and two grown sons to celebrate one of their promotions on a Friday night means that probably one of the last things I expect to see is young men and women drinking...

Been coming here for years on and off now. Loved the food menu and the Yorkshire pudding wraps and the burgers were a personal fave. We came to York last week and it was so disappointing to see the menu changed. Plant based vegan food...

Visited twice this last week and both times had lovely warm welcome. Nicole was super the first time. A fab aperol and gin and tonic a good selection of beers. Plenty of space to sit in peace right in the centre of town. Didn’t get...

My twin brother Stephen and I were pub and bar hopping around this part of York when we chanced upon Victor J's Bar and what a great find. Walking in and I knew I would enjoy my visit here ,the interior is superb ,eclectic decor...

Cute bar with lovely atmosphere and staff. Had some good music playing and although we didn’t have food it looked great! The cocktails we had were a good price and very tasty. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting York :)

Sadly since this place got taken over (a while ago now) it's gone downhill. I used to love it and visited it every time I went to York, but don't think I'll be bothering in future. It's okay now, but not a patch on what...

came in for 1 drink each, price average/ maybe tiny bit below average for York, not bad decor inside & atmosphere was fine. played consistently good songs mind, think Arctic Monkeys type music. would recommend / go again!

Victor Js bar on Finkle street is a very cool bar that offer a superb tapas menu and a superb range of paninis'wraps and burger meals and a superb drinks range.We went here while walking around this area and as we haven't visited here before...

We used to be every-week regulars when the bar had been under previous (excellent) management. We had started venturing back in recent months and was becoming a bit of a regular to on a weekend night out. However, that has been abruptly put to an...

Been a few times recently, really like the drinks choice and bar staff are very friendly. The doorman on the other hand has made very strange and judgemental comments about my girlfriends age, my brothers age and my age and appearance all on separate occasions....

Great little spot for lunch. Next to the markets so great location. We were informed there was a wait for food when we went in but we’re still served quick. Food really good, vegetarian options for my girlfriend to.

Absolutely terrible service and food and drinks. Worst hot chocolate I ever had. Just clumps of powder at bottom of cup. Stated on menu came with whipped cream and marshmallows. Well just a mniscule of whipped cream and no marshmallow . Food was terrible and...

A cosy bar hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the main streets in York. Lots of drinks to choose from as well as some old school games to choose from.

I have just celebrated my sons leaving party. The staff were amazing and so helpful . The buffet food was great and Nicole and Kim behind the bar, were just FAB thank you for making our night special . Claire

Lovely staff, Lovely cocktails. We saw the 2 for £10 on cocktails outside on the board & came in. The bar lady was kind & she made us yummy cocktails.

Visited with family. We hadn’t booked so we’re lucky to get a table. Nice place with nice atmosphere and the menu looked yummy. We waited 45minutes for our food. Was just about to complain when it arrived. A mixture of feeling...fish wraps were nice, steak...

Nice place inside but freezing cold ... service was excellent .. the breakfast was good size and tasty and good value ... the cheese burger was ok quite small but tasty but it was just lukewarm and the fries were too cold to eat ......

Vjs has always been my favourite place to hang out with friends. It's got fabulous food, chilled atmosphere and brilliant staff. I can highly recommend this place, whether it's for a brew, food (the cheesy chips are a must) or an evening drink, do yourselves...

Absolutely love this place. Relaxed atmosphere, staff are wonderful and the food is delicious. Fast service too. Highly recommended.

So sad to see a good place go. Vj's has recently been taken over and clearly the new owner felt that changes needed to be made to what was a well loved haunt for many York Folk. A recent pre theatre visit tells me it's...

Quaint. Very nice and very chilled bar. We only had drinks but would visit again. If it looks busy on the outside, chances are there are still tables available out of view from the street.

We stumbled into Victor J's at 3pm on a Monday afternoon during staff day out and are so glad we did! Rob greeted us with a warm welcome, he was engaging, fun and made us some fabulous drinks. Working in Hospitality some of my colleagues...

My sister and I had a lovely lunch here we had the vegan no fish, chips and mushy peas burger which was so nice the no fish was banana blossom. Really filling and tasty meal great service and loved the decor esp all the foxes. Thought the meal price was good and had a nice cider which wasn't too bad price wise. Would recommend to people visiting York wanting a break from shopping or sightseeing. It's in a great location just off Sampson Square. Options for meat eaters and veggies too.

Stumbled across this bar on a rainy day looking for shelter and a quick coffee, 3 hours later numerous cocktails and feeling chilled we left ha ha. Rob is fantastic makes some awesome cocktails, tell him what you like to drink and he can make you something special. Went back next day and had the loaded chips and another cocktail (well it would have been rude not to). Ambience, friendly staff and great food and drinks. We'll definitely go back when in York.

Had epic cocktails and sat in a cosy corner. Really enjoyed our visit and would definitely come back on our next visit to York.

Love this place, really friendly,lovely food We had a dish of nachos to share and added chilli con carni and garlic bread, it was huge 😋

typical of york's variety of eating places and i could not find a fault from excellent service to value for money quality food

An upstairs and downstairs social space ideal for larger groups as well as ones and twos. The staff were friendly and fun, helping the social atmosphere. You can just enjoy drinks or tuck into some decent pub grub also. Enjoy!

Cannot rave about this place enough. Excellent food, excellent atmosphere, friendly helpful staff who work extremely hard and the best Bloody Mary I have ever tasted.

I have been going to Victor J’s for quite a few years now & went again on Saturday with my family. It was fantastic, the food is delicious with a good selection, and the staff were very attentive & friendly. Highly recommend this place whether you’re having a day to yourself, with the family or enjoying a lunch with friends.

Popped in for a restorative drink whilst visiting the Markets. The staff were very friendly and helpful. A nice respite

Excellent friendly staff Very helpful I had a boozy hot choc recommended by the bar staff tasted fab

Just love to go victor js bar for lunch such a quaint place staff so friendly an happy make us very welcome as soon as you walk through the door food menu great affordable and it's lovely food didn't have to wait long after ordering keep up the goods work guy's see again soon

This place looked friendly, clean and cosy from the outside so we thought we’d pop in for a drink.

Had lunch in here on a wednesday dinner time. Was surprised on entering how big it was inside. The young man behind the bar was really friendly and made it an enjoyable experience. I had the steak sandwich which was nice a quite reasonably priced. Menu was very good for a lunch stop. Overall a good visit and would recommend.

Friendly staff from the get go. Plenty of choice for gin. Quirky seating areas. A little expensive but I suppose we are in the middle of York. Roughly £14 for two gins.

Wonderful place in the centre of York to meet up with friends or pop in on your own for a coffee, brunch and drinks. Very welcoming and attentive staff

Been her a few times its a nice little bar. Think we find it by accident first time. Made welcome by the staff / owner. I nice little place

Lovely place, food delicious and even on race day fairly quiet. All found food delicious, swiftly served and plentiful.

Called in to this bar by chance. Went back every night. Definitely recommended if you like friendly staff, chatty locals and a great atmosphere.

We found this by chance but were glad we did. There are not many places you can enjoy sticky toffee pudding with your beer! They sell champagne by the glass for £6.50 or £10 for 2. Great value!!!

Although I have lived in York for 18 years I only first visited here about 2 months ago. My husband and I went in one day when it was raining and what a find! It looks tiny from the outside but is actually fairly big inside. The bar staff are really friendly and warm. The choice of drinks is good, I usually go for the mini bottle of Prosecco. Although we have yet to eat here the menu is pretty large and suits met eaters and veggies alike. I would definitely recommend a visit if you're in York.

I went with my friend on a colleagues recommendation. Small hidden place. Really friendly staff. Good portion food. Good was served within 15mins of placing the order. If you want a not so crowded place at the heart of York this place a worth a visit.

Visit this place while I was in York today for my lunch. The staff member who was behind was very friendly and knows how to talk to people and when I was putting my order through at the till the staff member did not rush they waited until I put my order at the till. While I was waiting for my lunch order the palace was clean and after I had finished my order the staff cleaned the table up and asked if the meal was okay which is good to see the feedback which is good. The menu was had a good range of prices and meals on it and meals are good portions unlike most places were they pale the food on the plate this was a good size portion of food.

Stumbled across here for lunch. Nice atmosphere with friendly staff. I had the halloumi salad which was really good. My husband had the burger which was also good. Prices very reasonable. Would recommend.

Encontré este lugar cuando estábamos buscando alrededor de York para almorzar. El personal era cálido y amable y muy servicial.

Worth a visit Great atmosphere and music Good beer and cocktails Staff very helpfull Small but lively Pornstar martini a must

Went for a quick lunch with my parter. Found VJs just by chance.

For the past few months of visiting VJs we've always been welcomed warmly by the staff and management. The atmosphere is consistently excellent, attracting decent and friendly customers. The food they offer is always to a high standard and served swiftly. I would firmly recommend VJs to anyone, Andy and Victoria are generous hosts and you always feel looked after. 5/5 is well deserved.

Great little place good cocktails professionally made . Would recommend especially for couples. Some of the best cocktails we had

This little bistro/bar is tucked away down one of York’s many side streets, so after attempting to get into a few packed out places mid Saturday lunch time we stumbled across this place in a storm of hunger. It was bustling downstairs, but we found a table and the rest is history. Serving a classic selection of wraps, sandwiches etc. This is honest British food, simple but excellent.

We decided to visit this bar on the recommendation of a friend, who had explained that the bar displayed artwork from local artists, played an eclectic mix of music and had a chilled out, inclusive ambience.

Excellent customer service by the lady with short hair . I got a Grilled steak sandwich with chips and onion rings it was huge ! And very tasty . Would recommend .

Called in here for lunch on a Saturday, menu looked good, nice cool chilled bar and friendly staff. Ordered a burger and a wrap, both very nice but chips were a bit of a let down. Would have expected a bit better than oven chips from a place like this, maybe something to think about?

This place is great for meeting friends for a drink. the atmosphere is relaxed and the surroundings are comfy. I haven't tried the food personally but have been told its good!

This place was recommended to us and after also seeing the excellent reviews we decided to pay it a visit with a couple of friends at early afternoon when in York...

Lovely little place tucked away in York! Came with my family for a pint and a bit of lunch and the lovely staff remembered my dad from when he visited before. Great choice of beer and great menue to chose from. I had the Greek Mezze which was tasty and obviously very fresh! My parents both had sandwiches which they really enjoyed too! The staff are friendly, the beer and the food are great and it's all really reasonably priced!

We visited for some cocktails before dinner and we weren’t disappointed! Friendly staff and lots of locals so obviously a great place. The cocktails were good and there was a good selection of drinks. Good atmosphere and cute little hide away!

Encontramos VJ's por casualidad en nuestro último día en York. Fue un hallazgo tan afortunado y estábamos encantados de haberlo encontrado.

Popped in for our bi annual drink to be welcomed by the host Andy who remembered us. Food good value great atmosphere. Worth a drink if your in York it’s near Browns department store.

Hemos estado yendo a VJ durante varios años y nunca antes he publicado sobre este lugar, en gran parte porque quiero mantener esta joya oculta para mí, pero ha llegado el momento de estar abierto. Este es, de lejos, el mejor bar local en el centro. El personal es estupendo y realmente te cuidan. No permiten grupos grandes (por lo que no hay ciervos / gallinas, etc.) y es un lugar genial para relajarse con una cerveza (o uno de sus famosos cócteles) y comer algo. Está escondido justo al lado de la plaza Sampson y si eres un visitante de Nueva York o un visitante, vale la pena llamar. ¡Te veo allí! !

Lovely food, a nice quaint place and the staff were great, also some lovely lagers, thanks, we will be back.

We came across VJS while looking for somewhere to eat on our first night, and glad we did.

Stumbled on this bar by chance....and so impressed will definitely return and recommend to everyone. Very friendly welcome, great choice of drinks and best lunch I've had on a long time. Tuna melt sandwich was filling and scrumptious and great value. Sat in the courtyard and enjoyed al fresco eating while the sun tried its best to shine! A hidden gem of a place with happy staff which means good management.

Breathtakingly good. I’ve eaten everywhere from $300 per course to McDonald’s... and this little place in York is quite simply superb. Attention to detail and service is of the highest global standards. Ridiculous. Chef-made dressings up there with the best in Europe - who even is this guy/gal? Mindblowingly better than it ever should be.

Back in York for a visit and we were told about this place, run as an independent.

Been going for years , food is always fresh and tasty, excellent value. We are always well looked after cannot fault this lovely little bar and friendly staff.