Whitakers

friendly, Good range of beers, proper real pub and great wholesome food.

Food. Good Ale. Smashing beer garden. Check it out!

Some time ago, just before the summer began, my friends and I decided to drive out to Otley for some lunch as the weather was warming and the sun was out. My friend had just passed his driving test so he opted to take us over, and a few interesting parking manoeuvres later, we were set. We’d no real idea of where to try so we wandered in here on the promise of some good pub grub.
We sat in the garden with the huge picturesque wall on one side (no, really — it’s a lovely old stone wall!) and an array of flowers at the back. It was a really lovely little place, private and jovial, and we ordered our food. The boys went for a whole roast dinner in a Yorkshire Pudding and as the huge plate of delicious dough and gravy was brought out I felt a touch jealous. (My pie was pretty delicious, but y’know — it was a roast dinner in a Yorkshire Pudding!)
The staff were all pretty friendly and the service was reasonably quick — something you’re always grateful for on an empty stomach, so all in all I would recommend this place for sure. There’s a standard range of good beers and it’s arranged inside with classic pub décor; this place feels enough like home to any frequenter of the grand old British tradition that is a proper pub. Not even my incurable phobia of the wasps that occasioned upon us outside spoiled the afternoon.

The blue rinse brigade massive are having it large in Whitakers. With a large pub grub menu from baked tatties, soup, to slabs of meat with vegetables and gravy all the food getting served was hot and smelling good and reasonably priced. Very comfortable pub with a variety of seating a separated areas. Friendly bar staff are selling some lovely ales from the Black Sheep brewery. Good drinks, good food, okay atmosphere. Seek out Wednesdays and Saturdays for quiz night and Fridays for karaōke.

Next to the Red Lion on Otley’s main road lies a slightly more successful pub than it’s neighbour (which recently closed then reopened) which does well because it basically covers every base.
By this I mean that it appeals to every sort of person, and has various and vastly differing types of entertainment.
The elderly gents of Otley will be satisfied with the selection of guest ales, which changed regularly, which I imagine is quite a source of excitement for true ale connoisseurs.
For the younger people, the atmosphere and music in here is appealing, and it can provide somewhere good to start the night before heading into Leeds.
And somehow, it manages to be family orientated, offering food especially for kids at scandalously cheap prices. Basically, it’s got something for everyone, but is spread rather thin to cover all the bases, so can feel a bit shallow, especially for those in search of a ‘proper pub’.