Old Harkers Arms

Great lunch here a couple of weeks ago!! Even though it was race day the waitresses were very attentive and our order came quickly and was of good quality. Atmosphere was great, everyone was very comfortable.

Definitely worth a visit again - great for lunch or dinner!

Good pub, food never a let down and an adult only area

Had a really awesome night there with some friends. The food was just awesome and the beer as well. Would come back anytime!!

Another Chester canalside pub. Not quite as good a selection of real ales as The Mill Hotel, but still a reasonable choice - Spitting Feathers 1862, Boggart Rum Porter, Flowers Original, Weetwood Cheshire Cat, Thwaites Original, Wincle Wibbly Wallaby and Moorhouses Pride of Pendle during our visit. They also have a few different Westons ciders and perries to choose from. The interior was more wine bar/restaurant than pub and the bouncer on the door (early Friday evening) reinforced this message. However, the bar was very busy. We'd intended to eat here. But finding a table was a major problem. Parking is also reasonably difficult. Although we did find a nearby street where we could park for free. I'd probably try this pub out again at a quieter time. But for me it was slightly too busy to enjoy and after the Mill, a bit of an anti-climax.

Harkers is my local pub - in-fact I can actually see it from the window of my apartment. The location is convenient for most being on the way to Chester Rail Station - however it is also unspectacular being set next to the canalside which is something of a 'regeneration’ area.

Inside however, Harkers really comes into it’s own - leading to many of my friends describing it as the 'best pub in Chester’. This reputation being mostly derived from the excellent range of real ales served up behind the bar. On top of this however, the food is also excellent (if a little more pricey than usual pub-fare) - as is the service.

Another quirk of this place is that it refuses to install any kind of music or video systems - no tv, no fruit machines - no sound whatsoever, other than the hum of local chatter.

Harkers is pretty much always busy - not in a bad way though - you can normally get a table after a while and the atmosphere is relaxed and cosy. The patrons tend to be 20-40 year old people who either live or work locally - often from one of Chester’s many financial institutions.

This award winning pub is a short walk from Chester’s train station, 5 min from the city center and looks directly onto the Shropshire Union canal.
The key ingredients to Harkers’ success lie in a dash of quality food, a heaped tea spoon of real ale and good helping of customer service.
The food being served in Harkers is excellent gastro pub fayre with good hearty portions. Both the steak burger and fish & chips are popular dishes. The ales on offer change regularly and are a real treat for those that prefer beers supported by CAMRA rather than nitrogen filled lagers.
An excellent meeting place (popular during Chester Races) with good grub and real ale.