The Highland Laddie

I visited this pub recently and was genuinely impressed. The interior design is absolutely stunning — stylish, cosy, and beautifully put together. The atmosphere is relaxing, and the seating is really comfortable. The beer was incredibly fresh and full of flavour. Great selection too! Overall, a fantastic spot for a drink — highly recommended!

I really small but cute place, very friendly. I didn't eat, lots of people were & enjoying it. I went to try their Real Ales, some lovely Kirkstall Beers on incl my favourite Three Swords. I'll be back. 🍺😆

Was excited to come here after enjoying a couple of meals at Empire Cafe. I might have actually enjoyed the meal here more! Some particular highlights were the homemade black pudding, cold cut smoked beef, sausage roll and BBQ carrots. Service was very fast, and staff were relaxed and friendly. Only warning would be that some of the larger plates were very large (think schnitzel bigger than your face), so bring someone hungry to share with!

The best Sunday roast I’ve ever had! The meat was perfectly cooked, the sides were super delicious and service was warm and welcoming.

Lovely and cozy inside. Gravy that makes you want to write an ode (I've not stopped thinking about it). Good selection of beers. Book a table.

This was my first visit in more years than I will admit to. However it was worth the wait! The food was fantastic- we were there for Sunday Lunch. Whilst everything was great the veg stole the show, I don’t know how they prepared the carrots but they were fantastic. I didn’t think it could get better. Then I had the pudding! A boozy Sticky Toffee Pudding with a crunch top! See the photo! My other half had the banana split and wouldn’t share!

Wow, just wow. Was spending a night in Leeds and luckily found out about this place. I must have walked past the old pub a few times when walking to/from Brudenell for gigs but never really paid much attention. Saw a mention on social media and had to come try because it looked amazing - check their socials. It did not disappoint. Sat in the bar area as the restaurant had a few tables booked due in and the only difference is you need to order at the bar. Food was stunning. Had the pork schnitzel with the anchovies, the burger (so pink and juicy) and chips. Everything absolutely amazing. Saw a lot of the other dishes coming out, would have eaten the lot. The Guinness, best pint in Leeds by far. Interestingly a 3 part pour. Well worth the wait. The actually pub, the decor looks the part. Every little small touch noted, like the Aesop hand soap in the gents. The team really look after you. I’ll definitely be back and will be sure to check out the sister place. Only took a picture of the pint, got too invested after that!

Absolutely fantastic Sunday roast. Gravy was superb, chef sent out a roll to ensure we could mop it all up. Staff were friendly and attentive. Would definitely recommend.

Drinks, food and atmosphere all amazing - service is friendly, attentive and welcoming. Feels like such a treat but yet you feel at home throughout - doesn’t get any better!!

Absolutely brilliant! You will struggle to find a better Sunday lunch and amazingly well kept beer in Yorkshire!

I loved our meal here. We got six of the “small plates” between three of us and just about managed to fit in dessert. Highlights were the crab crumpet, confit duck and smoked trout but all the dishes were superb. We took full advantage of the cozy pub atmosphere and had a few pints of ale. All the dishes were very creative and interesting, but without sacrificing taste. I can’t wait to go again!

Gorgeous atmosphere, lovely staff, and absolutely delicious food. From the minute you walk into the Highland Laddie it feels like the rest of the world ceases to exist. I wanted to try everything on the menu and made a pretty good go of it — the mussels, paneer, and mutton chops were standouts for me, but honestly everything was spot on. The Guinness was perfectly poured and the wine crisp and dry. I genuinely can’t think of a better place to spend an afternoon.

+6

We visited this pub recently and absolutely loved it. It’s a fantastic little place! The staff especially Alex were friendly, attentive, and gave us great advice on the menu. The food was stunning and full of flavour. Their The Laddie Sausage roll, brown sauce is a must try, definitely a 10/10! The Highland beef burger with clotted cheese and caramelised onion was amazing as well. We can’t wait to visit again and would definitely recommend this pub!

+4

This place is tiny and cramped and that's part of the charm. The bar staff were absolutely lovely. Warm and friendly and knowledgeable. I didn't have a reservation, I stopped by on the off chance as I'm in town for work. They are usually closed on Mondays but they're open as it's betwistnas and I am so glad they were. I had a pint of a forgettable juicy pale ale whilst I waited for a table and eventually managed to squeeze myself into a corner and order some food. Without a reservation! Lucky me. I then had a pint of the brown ale they have on tap made just for them with amity brewing and ug may just be the best beer I've tried this year. Beautiful. Like smooth caramel with coffee notes. I ordered the vindaloo deviled egg. Delicious but not spicy enough to be called vindaloo. No complaints about the quality though. Next I had the chips and curry sauce and the highland burger with clotted cheese. Both pretty much faultless, the curry sauce tastes just like the one I make which is a very good thing, I would have liked a gallon. The chips were sweet, crunchy and fluffy. The burger perfectly cooked and had a sweetness from the cheese which was delicious and very welcome. All in all excellent. Sad I can manage dessert. Next time! Jen @twodogsldn on behalf of @ldnldondon

+6

My friend Stephen highly recommend this place and it is a fantastic pub. They have a wide selection of beers and the Guinness was excellent. The food is amazing. Unfortunately we had already eaten lunch before coming but we did sample the chips and curry sauce and the bbq carrotts. They both were superb and really tasty. A couple next to us ordered the schnitzel and the portion size looked incredible!!

+2

My partner and I decided to enjoy a meal and drinks after hearing glowing recommendations from friends, and we were not disappointed! The menu was intriguing, featuring many dishes we had never tried before. I opted for the special, which was grouse, and it was absolutely delicious! The standout aspect of our visit was the exceptional service. The staff was incredibly friendly, accommodating, and welcoming, making us feel right at home. This was undoubtedly the best dining experience we've had in Leeds in quite some time! We highly recommend it!

+1

A wonderful evening celebrating my birthday. Believe the hype, the Laddie is outstanding. Oysters, devilled eggs, half pint of prawns, ham and dinner rolls, truffle mustard, smoked roscoff onions and oyster and beef shin pie. The bill was £110 which included a few pints of Guinness. It’s cozy, lively and an oasis of old world charm. Great service from a team who clearly care.

+1

Incredible pub with amazing food. Was blown away by the quality of the cooking for the price. Great beers on tap and friendly staff. All set in a beautiful pub.

Stunning little pub, high quality food, amazing bar snacks and great pints! Exceptional service from the team, special thanks to the head chef Joe! By the way, their sausage roll is a must try ! Pastry made from scratch 👍🏻

One of the cutest pubs you could visit, serving stunning dishes and good drinks. 10/10 all round.

Great first visit today for my birthday. Nicest roast dinner we've had in ages and probably the best Guinness in Leeds.

I’ve been waiting on this place for ages! It hasn’t disappointed. Oysters on the bar! What a gaff! It’s a proper local boozer but with amazing food! It’s everything you want from a pub. Just to add to this, my gf and I had an amazing meal here for my birthday in June! Amazing!

We went to the laddie at the last minute, they fit us in even though we didn't have a reservation. The food was 10/10, the best Sunday roast I've had in Leeds! The staff are super friendly and they do a banging Guinness!

Outstanding food, great cask ales and a decent pint of Guinness!

Buzzing atmosphere at 2pm on an autumnal Friday lunchtime, food fantastic, staff even more fantastic.

Great place....intimate experience, Great food and outstanding service. Would highly recommens

Fantastic little pub! Great atmosphere, lovely friendly staff! The food is superb, highly recommended!

Super cool chilled pub in Leeds. Shame it’s not closer into the centre - but definitely worth the detour.

Unique spot. A cosy pub with excellent food. Service was incredible, the staff were amazing. It’s a small spot, so you’d struggle without a booking. Definitely worth a visit. The duck was 10/10 as were the cookies and eggnog dessert! Good Guinness too.

Staggeringly good. Thoughtful takes on pub classics, executed with deliberate excellence in every detail. As the sun dipped and the candles took over, the whole place settled into something close to perfect. The Guinness — the best in Leeds (and I’ve had them all) — arrived flawless, with slack as immaculate as you’ll ever see. The clientele were blissfully easy to share space with; a genuine safe haven for all ages. The food was direct yet quietly clever, full of flavour and entirely unpretentious. Just honest, high-quality cooking done properly. A gem — and a gift to a city I love so very much. I hope to eat and drink here until I draw my final breath. I’ve seen a few complaints about price in other reviews. Sadly, you’ll always get that in Leeds. This isn’t a pub for the Wetherspoons faithful — it’s more considered than that. If you’re after a £2 pint and a 2-course meal for £9.95, leave The Highland Laddie for those who appreciate what’s happening here. Bursting with atmosphere and, frankly, excellent value for what it delivers. Utterly divine, and deserving of far more words — though I’ll spare you further essay An ode to the Highland Laddie. LONG MAY SHE REIGN

What a wonderful meal. Fantastic, tasty food, good wine selection, lovely service. The pub was extremely busy, which is a good thing (though difficult to get a table.) Highly recommend, especially the shepherd pie which was very delicately flavoured with Indian spices, and the creme brulee with nutmeg icecream which was superb

We've been twice for drinks and once for food in the last 6 months. All three occasions were spot on. It works as a boozer, it works for special occasion food. Putting it in the "special occasion" box for food as it is on the pricier side, but we agreed it falls into our "definitely worth it" category. I can't imagine this place working for kids. I'm pretty relaxed with where we take our 3 year old for eating and drinking but the lack of space, high tables, small toilets etc mean we'll probably venture here only when we have a babysitter. Love what you've done with the place guys. Well kept and well poured beer, nice wine and whiskey selection, and a special food shout out for the mussels and bisque on bread👌🏼 No pictures. It's the kind of place you feel like a bit of a knob if you have your phone out too much, which I'm all for!

Outrageous. From start to finish just perfect. The fella with the tattoos gave us a perfect menu walk through, and the lad on the bar was so passionate about the cocktail he suggested we didn’t even check what it was. And it was the tits. The vindaloo eggs are an absolute triumph and if I died drowning in the duck cassoulet I would be so ok with that. Just no notes. Have the best Christmas guys. I cannot wait to be back in town just to come back

Absolutely awesome. Fully understand why it's won the awards it has. Fantastic selection of beers and equally fantastic array of snacks or mains to suit all taste buds.

Genuinely all 5s - food was great, enjoyed sharing with 2 mates over 3 beers. - service was excellent, knowledgable but casually delivered. - pub atmosphere, we ate oysters and great food, drinking beer, whilst the table next to us drank guines and ate packets of crisps ( loved the high level of food available in a drinkers pub ) Could go with the lads, or the wife/

Rejuvenated local Victorian boozer. Taken on by the Empire cafe team to excellent effect. Cosy little bar, great food and to selection of beers. Oysters available at the bar.

Me and my partner visited this lovely pub and couldn’t recommend it more! It has a lovely old school feel with absolutely phenomenal food and great pint selection. The staff were all absolutely lovely and gave us fabulous recommendations 10/10 ⭐️

Went here for wife's 70th birthday meal at 5pm on Wednesday in January. Place is really cosy, food superb and great service. Bill for two with three courses and 2 rounds of drink £109. Always best to book ahead!!

The amazing formula from Empire Cafe is repeated at the Laddie. Very high quality nibbles, sharing tapas and mains - with enough variety to suit most tastes. The bean broth was simple but delicious, highlights were probably the sardines and sharing steak. Washed down with 'proper' pints from Wensleydale brewery (rare find in Leeds). Highly recommended but just flagging a few minor issues... (a) Small tables and limited 'elbow room' between tables (b) As it's a pub as well - proper drinkers and /or smokers in close vicinity!

+1

Enjoyed the food, thought the burger was slightly overpriced for the size especially when you add chips it's over £20 for a relatively small burger. Ham was excellent and the sausage roll. Prawns were £11 and we got 6 prawns which we wouldn't get again. We had a desert, it was £10 and it was lovely but incredibly small, again overpriced for the portion, should be £8 max. Drinks were nice but £6.50 for a Guinness when you pay £7 at an airport or in London is really steep for a pub in Leeds. Shame the drinks are so expensive or we'd come in for drinks more often. We know the cost of everything is going up but it needs to be comparable to other places and worth it for what you get. It is £85 for a meal for two and one or two pints. Service was good and everyone was very friendly. The bill was wrong as we'd paid for drinks at the bar while waiting for the table and then these drinks were on the bill as well, little bit strange but it got sorted. I really want to love love this place as I was so hopeful but it fell slightly short of my expectations.

This is the newly refurbished Highland with the added feature of a gastro restaurant onboard. The drinks were plentiful with four wickets, Guinness and 8ish keg lines,all decently priced. The food looked and smelled divine but i downgraded the rating due to the prices,also what's steak by the inch? Nice place,too expensive.

Very good pub and restaurant - good service but can feel small when busy but not always a bad thing.

Don't believe the hype. We visited with high expectations after an opening became available for Saturday at 3pm. I don't know if we were just an unfortunate anomaly but the service was so poor for us. Waited forever for someone to take our food and drinks order; they only did so when I asked if it was bar or table service. The drinks again took forever to come and I had to ask twice for them to bring them. Whilst watching them at the bar it was obvious the order had been forgotten. It's a small pub that is busy, but it was not THAT busy. The food, whilst very good, was extortionate. £15 for three slices of ham with some bread rolls!! The waitress forgot to bring the mustards we selected. When one of the selected ones was being used by another table, the waitress asked me to order a different one, instead of just asking the other guests if we could have it once they were finished with it. The chips we ordered were forgotten about and we had to ask again for them as well. While I'm sure it wasn't the usual standard here. It left us feeling very deflated. Cool concept, beautiful décor, but a lot of style over substance.