Back in May I spent a day in York with some of my best blogging friends. We met up for drinks and food and Sharon recommended Evil Eye Lounge York. Since then, I’ve been back a few times because honestly, the Evil Eye Lounge is one of the most unique bars in York!
Evil Eye Lounge is still going strong and they’ve added loads more events! Karaoke on Tuesdays, pub quiz on Wednesdays, and York’s longest-running open mic night on Thursdays. Plus, they’ve got happy hour deals now!
About Evil Eye Lounge York
Evil Eye Lounge is a unique cocktail bar and restaurant in York, England. The bar is known for its eclectic decor, creative cocktails, and wide selection of global spirits. It’s best known for its range of gins and gin-based cocktails. In fact, their gin shop downstairs holds a World Record for the number of different gins available!
The Evil Eye York menu features a range of small plates and larger dishes inspired by global cuisine, including Thai, Mexican, and Indian. As well as meat dishes, it offers a range of vegetarian and vegan options. The bar’s cocktail menu is extensive and includes both classic and creative drinks made with a variety of spirits, including whiskey, gin, rum, and tequila.
The interior of Evil Eye Lounge is a mix of styles, with colourful murals and artwork adorning the walls, vintage furniture, and neon lights. It’s properly quirky and unlike anywhere else in York!
Where is Evil Eye York?
Evil Eye Lounge is located at 42 Stonegate, York YO1 8AS, right in the heart of York city centre on what’s actually York’s oldest street! It’s hidden behind a specialist gin shop, which is part of the charm – you walk through the shop to get to the bar upstairs.
Opening Times:
- Monday – Thursday: 2pm til 12am
- Friday & Saturday: 12pm til 1am
- Sunday: 12pm til 12am
The location is perfect if you’re exploring the historic centre of York – it’s just a short walk from York Minster and The Shambles.
Evil Eye Lounge Menu York
The Evil Eye menu has changed a bit since we first visited, but it’s still all about casual street food-style dishes that go perfectly with cocktails!
What’s on the Evil Eye York Menu?
The menu features globally inspired small plates and sharing dishes. When we went, they had options like:
- Tacos (beef, chicken, tofu)
- Korean Crispy Chicken Bao Buns
- Asian Veggie Fritter Burgers
- Various other street food-style dishes
Everything comes with vegetarian and vegan options, which is brilliant. They really cater well for different dietary requirements.
You can view the latest Evil Eye menu on their website, including their impressive cocktail menu!
Evil Eye Cocktail Menu
The cocktail menu at Evil Eye York is seriously impressive. They make everything with fresh ingredients, and their staff are really well-trained. They’ve got classic cocktails and their own Evil Eye creations.
Happy Hour Deals (Sunday to Thursday, 5pm-9pm):
- Any 2 cocktails (£9.50 each) for £17
- Any 2 shots (£4 each) for £7
- Any 2 beers (£4.25 each) for £8
- Any 2 alcohol-free beers (£3.25 each) for £6
They also do cocktail classes for £40 per person where you learn to make a classic cocktail, an Evil Eye creation, and end with a fancy shot. Perfect for hen dos or birthdays!
Our Visit to Evil Eye Bar York
Evil Eye Lounge is quite a funky place. My boyfriend described Evil Eye Lounge as hipster. When walking in, you first meet a gin shop that sells every kind of gin you can imagine (literally World Record-holding amounts!). We had pre-booked food so we were taken upstairs to our table, we managed to bag a room on our own as we had a table of about 10 of us.
One thing I wasn’t a fan of is that 1) we had to prebook food meaning we couldn’t decide on the day if we changed our mind and 2) we then had to go down and pay for the food first which took ages. I wouldn’t describe it as a place to go for a nice sit-down meal – it’s a bit more casual than that.
Their cocktail menu is pretty impressive, though. I felt a bit spoilt for choice but then decided to go for a beer because I remembered that I didn’t want to be hungover the next day at work.
Ginger beer! They stocked ginger beer. That was pretty wonderful.
The Food at Evil Eye York
I had their beef tacos, which were pulled beef tacos – I don’t think I’ve ever had pulled beef tacos before but they were delicious and I would recommend them for anyone going.
SALOCA had the Korean Crispy Chicken Bao Buns which are also pictured. She was impressed.
They do great vegetarian and vegan options, too. Sharon who is vegan had smoked tofu tacos and vegetarian Hayley had the Asian veggie fritter burger. Basically, the food options were a burger, taco or bao buns and each came with vegan/veggie options and a choice of a few different types of meat.
I was actually really impressed with the food, but not so much the style of service. Although it is marketed as street food so it shouldn’t be surprising – it’s just not my preference.
What Makes Evil Eye Lounge Special?
Evil Eye York is totally unique. Hidden behind a World Record-holding gin shop on York’s oldest street (Stonegate), it’s described as the “home of the bizarre, weird and wonderful” – and honestly, that’s spot on!
The decor is eclectic and quirky, with colourful murals, vintage furniture, and neon lights creating this really cool atmosphere. It’s the kind of place that feels a million miles away from the traditional York pubs, which is refreshing.
Plus, they host loads of events:
- Tuesday: York’s only Tuesday Karaoke night
- Wednesday: Pub quiz with cash prizes
- Thursday: York’s longest-running open mic night
It’s popular with students and alternative crowd, but anyone who wants something a bit different will love it here.
Evil Eye Lounge Reviews – What Others Say
Looking at Evil Eye Lounge reviews across different platforms, the general consensus is really positive! People love the quirky atmosphere, the incredible gin selection, and the creative cocktails.
On TripAdvisor, Evil Eye York has earned a Travelers’ Choice award and consistently gets great reviews. Most people rave about:
- The huge variety of spirits and cocktails
- The unique, alternative vibe
- The friendly, well-trained staff
- The affordable drinks (especially during happy hour)
Some reviews mention that service can be slow when it’s busy (which matches our experience), and the pre-ordering food system isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But overall, most Evil Eye reviews are glowing!
The venue has a 4-star average across most review sites, with people particularly praising it as one of York’s best cocktail bars.
Evil Eye York FAQ
Do you need to book Evil Eye Lounge?
Bookings are only required (and accepted) for parties of 6 or more people. They DON’T take any bookings after 7:45pm on Fridays or at all on Saturdays. For smaller groups, you can just turn up!
If you do book, there’s a non-returnable deposit required which gets taken off your bill.
What time does Evil Eye York open?
Opening hours are Monday-Thursday 2pm-12am, Friday-Saturday 12pm-1am, and Sunday 12pm-12am. They open earlier at weekends which is handy!
Does Evil Eye do food?
Yes! The Evil Eye menu features street food-style dishes including tacos, bao buns, and burgers, all with meat, vegetarian, and vegan options. Just be aware you may need to pre-order food for larger groups.
Is Evil Eye expensive?
Not really! It’s pretty reasonably priced for what you get. Their happy hour deals are brilliant value – 2 cocktails for £17 between 5-9pm Sunday to Thursday. Regular cocktails are around £9.50 which is standard for York.
What is Evil Eye Lounge known for?
Evil Eye York is famous for its World Record-holding gin shop, quirky eclectic decor, creative cocktails, and being one of York’s most unique bars. It’s also known for hosting York’s longest-running open mic night!
Is Evil Eye good for groups?
Absolutely! It’s brilliant for groups. They have different rooms upstairs, and they host cocktail classes which are perfect for birthdays, hen parties, or celebrations. Just remember to book if you’re 6 or more people.
What’s the vibe like at Evil Eye?
It’s alternative, quirky, and fun. Think colourful murals, vintage furniture, neon lights, and an indie/student crowd. It’s the complete opposite of a traditional York pub – which is exactly what makes it special!
Can you just go for drinks without food?
Yes! Loads of people just go for drinks. In fact, I’d say it’s primarily a cocktail bar rather than a restaurant. The food is a nice bonus, but you definitely don’t have to eat there.
My Final Thoughts on Evil Eye Lounge York (2026)
Evil Eye is the place to go for a casual drink and nibbles during the day or evening, for sure. It’s not the place for a fancy sit-down meal, but if you want amazing cocktails in a quirky, unique setting with some tasty street food on the side, it’s perfect!
The gin shop alone is worth visiting – they’ve got a World Record-holding collection! And the bar upstairs has such a cool vibe. It’s one of those places that feels like a proper hidden gem in York, even though it’s right in the city centre.
If you want something different from the usual York pub experience, definitely check out Evil Eye Lounge. Just go during the week if you want to book a table, and take advantage of those happy hour deals!
Address: 42 Stonegate, York YO1 8AS
Check out their website for the latest Evil Eye menu and events.
Want more places to drink in York? Check out my ultimate guide to York.
Looking for more York restaurant and bar reviews? Check out Yak and Yeti York for amazing Nepalese food or Cut and Craft York for the best steak in town!
If you’re on the hunt for more great bars, my guide to the best pubs in York is the place to start.
It sounds a little like they’ve tried to merge the streetfood and restaurant concepts and havn’t quite figured out how to make it smooth sailing… as long as the food was good, though! x
Pre-ordering food does sound a bit of a hassle. But, the food in your pictures does look good. I think I would struggle trying to chose what to order (burgers and tacos aren’t my thing, either), but it’s great that they are so flexible for vegans and vegetarians! All in all it sounds like a really interesting spot, and like it would be a great place to go once you know how the restaurant works and how /you/ want to use it, you know? 🙂
Erin | Explore, Refresh
Yumm the food looks incredible!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Bella Pummarola
I’ve never heard of a place where you have to pre-book your food before even going in. Good thing everything you guys ordered turned out to be delicious!
I haven’t been here for years but there used to be a shop downstairs that I loved when I was a teenager! I think it’s just a food place now though!
Amy xx
Sounds like an interesting place, and the food looks really good 🙂
Aww, pre-ordering food is so annoying, how can I know a few days before what I would like to eat. 🙂 It seems though there are plenty of options. It’s wonderful you got the chance to catch up with other bloggers and have such an amazing time. x
Catching up with your blogging friends sounds nice but I can’t be doing with a restaurant in which I have to pay for my food first. Do they have that any people do a runner! Lucy x