Three Legs, exterior. What delights await us inside?
A few times already on this quest, we’ve had low expectations of a place based on its reputation or outer appearance, and we walk out eating our words. The Three Legs does not represent one of those times.
The is the last pub standing out of an unholy trinity which used to include The Vine and Big Lil’s, and in this case resilience does not mean vibrance. Though its Victorian exterior is nice enough, once you step inside you’re hit with the sights, sounds, smells and — shall we say — tactile sensations of a poorly maintained dive bar with enough regulars that it doesn’t need to appeal to an outside crowd. This place is sticky.
The crowded bar area.
Two neglected cask taps sat on the bar but they didn’t seem like they ever got used. John Smith’s and Guinness were the keg offerings and Sol was the most decent bottle in sight. We ordered our beers and found a table in the corner where it wouldn’t seem too obvious we were taking notes or pictures. We felt conspicuous enough as it was.
The crowd shifted toward the front of the pub as soon as the karaoke machine fired up.
Now don’t get me wrong — it’s not as if a hush drifted through the place when we walked in. The bar staff were nice and accommodating and the bacchanal clientele were definitely friendly. One patron in particular got stuck in a loop of talking to us and then apologizing for talking to us and then talking to us some more. Inebriation is certainly not discouraged here. And how lucky were we that they even had karaoke going on when we visited!
Be sure to bring your pen knife!
Positives about Three Legs? They don’t seem to mind people carving graffiti into the tables (if that’s your thing) and we smiled at the whimsy of having a dartboard on the ceiling. Other than that, the best thing it has going for it is it’s only a short walk to North Bar.
Tags: arcade games, jukebox, karaoke, pool table
We're on a quest to review every pub and bar in Leeds city centre. After 199 reviews we've finally caught up and now we're waiting for more to open!
Thank you so much for letting us come along! What an experience. 🙂
And the half a star is because they haven’t yet ripped up the old fashion façade outside. If you want to get into a fight or an unwanted aggressive antisocial encounter of any sort, come here. Another award for civil service because it sucks in people who would otherwise be outside being aggressive to you on the street.
I’ll review this despite having not been in. I catch my bus 2 or 3 times a week outside this pub. There is always an incredibly loud karaoke going on, whatever time of day it is. Very bad karaoke too! I recently saw a guy stagger out covered in blood. I saw a scuffle between a couple of octenegarians. I saw a group of Asian tourist types wander in then straight out within about 5 seconds which was amusing. There is often some sort of argument going on between the smokers out front. Let’s not beat about the bush, the clientele are generally rough as hell.
It’s next to a Paddy Power
Never met a ruder barmaid in my life and I have been in some dives around the world but this one takes the cake, afraid to make eye contact with anyone, avoid this place like the plague.
Great pub best in leeds