What it's like
Red Lion is the Northgate Street pub with the Tudor-style frontage, built for sport, value food, breakfast, burgers, grills, quizzes, groups and an easy pint near Chester Town Hall.
Red Lion looks like it might be one of Chester's old character pubs, and the black-and-white frontage does have a story behind it. Once you are through the door, the better read is simpler: live sport, pub-company food, drinks offers, breakfasts, quizzes and staff used to busy Northgate traffic.
That makes it more useful than romantic. Pick it for a mixed grill, a fish-finger sandwich, a hockey-team meal, a football screen or a central rendezvous. Do not pick it for hushed heritage charm and then act betrayed by the televisions.
Worth knowing
Red Lion is one of those Chester pubs where the building promises more romance than the room quite delivers. Still, for sport, value food, groups, quizzes and a central Northgate address, it has a job. The trick is not asking it to be a tiny old local as well.
Plan your visit
- Address
- 59 Northgate Street, Chester CH1 2HQ.
- Hours
- Currently listed from 11:00 most weekdays, 10:00 Saturday-Sunday, with later finishes Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
- Food
- Breakfast, burgers, grills, pub classics, sharing plates and casual pub food. Steaks, mixed grills and lunch plates are the safer brief than delicate dining.
- Drinks
- Beer, cask ale, wine, cocktails, spirits and pub drinks.
- Sport
- Live sport is a real part of the pub. Ask if you need a particular match or screen.
- Dogs
- Dog-friendly is listed. Check direct for any food-area or busy-time limits.
- Outdoor seating
- Outdoor seating is listed, but do not expect a quiet garden escape in the city-centre sense.
- Access
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance is listed; accessible restroom and seating are not. Check direct if access matters.
- Price feel
- £. Good-value pub rather than polished dining.
How to use it
- Use it as a Northgate meeting point, sports base, quiz-night option or easy food stop before moving on.
- For a specific match, ask ahead. The pub is geared for sport, but the right screen still matters.
- If food is the reason, go outside the heaviest Saturday and match-day rush, and have a backup dish in mind.
- If old-pub atmosphere is the brief, enjoy the frontage, have one drink, then walk to somewhere more characterful.
What's on and practical notes
Red Lion promotes live sport, quiz-style nights, entertainment and group bookings. Check direct for the current sport schedule and any event times.
No checked TTDC event listings for this place right now. Check its own listings before building a visit around an event.
Nearby plan
Nearby pubs and bars
Nearby attractions
FAQ
What is Red Lion Chester best for?
Sport, pub food, breakfast, groups, casual drinks and a central Northgate Street meeting point.
Where is Red Lion Chester?
It is on Northgate Street, close to Chester Town Hall, the Cathedral and Storyhouse.
Does Red Lion Chester show sport?
Yes. Live sport is one of the main reasons to use it, but check direct for a specific fixture.
Is Red Lion Chester dog-friendly?
Dog-friendly is listed. Check direct for food-area and busy-time rules.
Is Red Lion Chester accessible?
A wheelchair-accessible entrance is listed, but accessible toilets and seating are not. Check direct before an access-sensitive visit.
Nearby alternatives and add-ons.
Pied Bull Restaurant Pied Bull Restaurant is the food side of the Northgate Street inn, useful for lunch, dinner and a historic pub meal in central Chester. 
Blue Bell The Blue Bell is a Northgate Street old pub building, useful for a quiet pint, low-key drink and a historic stop rather than polished dining. 
The Pied Bull The Pied Bull is a Northgate Street historic pub for real ale, a pint, pub food and visitors who want old Chester with their drink.