The Abbey Inn

I’ve been to the Abbey Inn only a handful of times. Walking along the canal from Leeds to Rodely in search for a few quality pints copulated with a nice stroll along the canal.
This place is a goer in my book. Its really traditional and the seating outside is really well done, homely and welcoming. There are heaters outside and cushions scattered across wooden chairs and a real fire which is an added bonus in these chilly winter months.
The theme of a classic ‘old man pub’ follows upon entry and feels like a ‘proper pub’ indeed. There is an array of ale’s to drool over and some really informative staff. They have some great ale’s here if you’re an ale fan is definitely a place to go on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I’d suggest pit-​stopping here before stumbling to the Rodley Barge.
On the food front the menu is very small and simple, if you’re after fish and chips or homemade pie to wash the ale down then you should definitely order food. It’s nothing gastronomically outstanding but definitely fills a hole quite warmly!

Really nice popular place with real ales, gorgeous homemade food and often music, it is especially nice when you can sit outside!

I have lived within walking distance from this pub for a good few years now, but didn’t find out about it’s existence until this year. One of Leeds’ best hidden gems, this brilliant real ale pub is tucked away down by the river just off Abbey Road /​New Road Side on the border between Kirkstall and Horsforth.
The Abbey Inn is everything I’d expect a typical real ale pub to be. A good range of local beers on the bar (including from the super-​local Kirkstall Brewery!), live bands and open mic nights on an evening, plenty of regulars that look so comfortable in their surroundings and a really nice warm welcome from the staff.
The inside has a few different areas, a small ‘snug’ section, a larger seating area near the bar with a bit where there was a band playing on the night we went, and then another smaller room with a pool table tucked around the back. The outside seating area was nice too, with standard pub benches and then a lovely covered area (I guess to cater for the smokers) with a couple of big tables and chairs, along with a few beer barrels and cushions for additional seating. The canopy was decorated with pretty lights and it was a lovely place to sit out on a summery evening.
If you’re after high end fanciness with all the posh trimmings, this is not the pub for you. However if you’re like me and like somewhere a bit more rustic with proper ale and a bit of charm, then get yourself down here, I can’t wait to go back!
Just one last thing, I’ve heard good things about the food they serve here and I fully intend to return to check this out. At the same time, I’ll also investigate their child-​friendliness, as I’ll have Mr MacDoo and the Mini MacDoos with me. I’ll update you with my findings!

Great atmosphere, lovely staff who always make you feel really welcome! Love to go down with the dogs on a summers day!

Well well I thought I’d be 1^st on this one but 2 years ago someone got there before me :(Not to worry cos I can keep this simple enough and straight to the point which readers of my reviews will notice is not my usual style, in fact back in the day when I first started to wri… OOPS SORRY! Yes, so… Abbey Inn sells some blooming good beer, the type with twigs in brewed in firkins and served in a receptacle made from sand… a glass, thats it! Seriously though Leeds Best is THE nicest ale I have ever tasted and as my fa-​tha (Male Parent if you’re from darn sarth) was a life long Tetley’s Drayman I was brought up on the damn stuff. Nice Royston Vasey looking place but with friendly staff as Rowena said, lots of stuff going on but also a nice quiet spot on a hot day to park your bum outside and spend an afternoon :)

Oh my wowzer-​bowzers, where have I BEEN?! Not, in Horsforth, apparently. Or, just beyond the Horsforth line more specifically, as I’m told. The other night my boyfriend and I made our way over to see some mates in the old LS18 post code, and they’d mentioned this «cool little pub» they’d found in the region of ten minutes walk from their house. We arrived late on in the evening and after discussion decided to catch a few pints at said pub, before close. After a very pleasant meander in a most beautifully countrified area of Leeds, which much reminded me of Gloucestershire, we arrived at The Abbey Inn.
A surprisingly warm welcome was offered on our arrival! I don’t mean that we expected it to be a local pub, for local people, it’s just that the main bar man was so utterly lovely and keen to get to know us. It was, in all honesty, a wonderful reception and we got to know all about their open mic night (held every Tuesday and totally welcoming to all levels of talent) and their regular summer beer festival, which I most certainly intend to participate in. On walking through to the bar we stood and did the usual bird-​like bobbing of heads, in an attempt to ascertain which taps were serving what, to which the bar man said: «There’s a dark side and a light side. You’re stood on the side of the light, and that», *pointing*, «that there’s the dark side.»
That was awesome. I felt a bit like Frodo. Or Luke. Or a bit of both, except I’m not a bloke and I wasn’t on a quest, but nonetheless the poetic manner in which he proffered their real ale was just really fracking cool. The whole damn pub was cool, cosy, friendly and I’m just taken by the place really. Fair enough I’ve been but once, I’ll leave it to you to judge that, but with a cool range of beers, awesome staff, generous outside seating and a cosy interior (live music to boot, but I’ve not been to that yet) I can’t think of anything more that I want from an evening of boozin’. Maybe pie? I’ll come back for pie.

With its pretty location beside the River Aire, quality real ales and reputation as a venue for gigs of the impromptu and whimsical kind, the Abbey Inn feels a lot like a country pub, despite being just off the A65 near Kirkstall Abbey. It seems to hold a similar role in the local community too, enjoying a reputation as a hub and meeting place more commonly associated with rural inns. I have visited here on a number of occasions, for a pub lunch or for a gig, and each time I have found it welcoming, lively and fun. There’s a large main bar, a smaller side bar and a games room, with low beamed ceilings and mismatched furniture adding to the homely vibe of the place. Apparently it used to be a mortuary, and several ghosts are said to haunt the building, though the spookiest thing I’ve ever seen there was an emo band play a rather entertaining set to half a dozen bemused old boys at the bar. In the summer, the conservatory and beer garden are popular with drinkers, while in winter it’s the perfect place to curl up with a good pint of ale.

Wicked ‘open-​mike’ night with some excellent and some not quite so excellent folk classics being performed. Can get a decent pint. I’ve been with my friends parents it’s a very cool place to go.