-The House of the Trembling Madness-
(Stonegate)
Review:
Trembling Madness is one of those consistently great small pubs, once York’s best kept secret but now with a host of awards the word has surly spread nationwide. Everyone knows of the quirky medieval hall hidden away at the back of an off-licence, often making it quite tough to gain entry due to its tiny size. But it’s worth the wait and once you scale the very steep narrow stairs you’re greeted with an ancient room full of beams, old benches and one or two stuffed animal heads. A heavily stocked wooden framed bar is topped off with a huge lion head and although it can be cramped moving about when busy once you secure a rustic seat you could be tempted to stay all night beneath the beams glowing with candle light and the roaring open fire. There’s a superb range of beers on tap and a huge selection of bottled, this really is the beer lovers heaven. And the prices aren’t too bad either considering the choice and individuality provided. Although there is no outside area you do get a cracking view of the Minster through their little window and of course access is very limited. Even the toilets are unique, being in the basement of the building and right where the off-licence stores all their spirits. What other bar could offer a wall of spirits to gaze at through thick glazing while waiting for a cubicle? And with the ground floor having such a huge stock of beer it would be rude not to stock up on the way home too. There should definitely be more pubs which have off-licences in them. All in all the Trembling Madness has real continental style shot through with good old Yorkshire charm, a pure gem in York and clearly one of the best, if you can get in, hence why even though scoring a bit low in some areas we think that the overall 5/5 score should reflect just how great this pub is at what it does.
Trembling Madness is one of those consistently great small pubs, once York’s best kept secret but now with a host of awards the word has surly spread nationwide. Everyone knows of the quirky medieval hall hidden away at the back of an off-licence, often making it quite tough to gain entry due to its tiny size. But it’s worth the wait and once you scale the very steep narrow stairs you’re greeted with an ancient room full of beams, old benches and one or two stuffed animal heads. A heavily stocked wooden framed bar is topped off with a huge lion head and although it can be cramped moving about when busy once you secure a rustic seat you could be tempted to stay all night beneath the beams glowing with candle light and the roaring open fire. There’s a superb range of beers on tap and a huge selection of bottled, this really is the beer lovers heaven. And the prices aren’t too bad either considering the choice and individuality provided. Although there is no outside area you do get a cracking view of the Minster through their little window and of course access is very limited. Even the toilets are unique, being in the basement of the building and right where the off-licence stores all their spirits. What other bar could offer a wall of spirits to gaze at through thick glazing while waiting for a cubicle? And with the ground floor having such a huge stock of beer it would be rude not to stock up on the way home too. There should definitely be more pubs which have off-licences in them. All in all the Trembling Madness has real continental style shot through with good old Yorkshire charm, a pure gem in York and clearly one of the best, if you can get in, hence why even though scoring a bit low in some areas we think that the overall 5/5 score should reflect just how great this pub is at what it does.