O’Neill’s is marking a milestone birthday, and is dishing out thousands of free drinks to anyone celebrating the same.
The UK’s favourite Irish-themed pub is turning 30 years old this year.
And so, in a bid to properly celebrate its legacy of pouring pints for the good people of Leeds and beyond for three whole decades this week, O’Neill’s has announced that it’ll be marking its 30th birthday by giving away more than 10,000 complimentary drinks to anyone born in 1994, and therefore also turning the big three-oh this year.
But, there is a bit of a catch… because isn’t there always?
Image: O'Neill's
This is quite a kind catch though, as to claim a free tipple, it really is as simple as being born in 1994, but the only exception is that this one-off offer is just available for one weekend, which means you’ll need to head on down to your nearest O’Neill’s from this Friday (7 June) until Sunday 9 June to make the most of it.
For anyone turning 30 this year, O’Neill’s will serve you up one of its best-loved cocktails, the Dublin Mule, which’ll usually set you back around £8, for completely free of charge.
To get your hands on the complimentary cocktail, you’ll just need to show a QR code to the bartender at your local O’Neill’s during the 30th birthday weekender, provide your ID as a proof of your age, and then the Dublin Mule is all yours to start sipping on
Images: Unsplash
“We are proud to be the nation’s favourite Irish bar,” commented Ian Priest, who is the Operations Director at O’Neill’s, ahead of this weekend’s birthday celebrations.
“If there’s one thing the Irish know how to do better than anyone, it’s party. So, to toast to the legendary 90s and celebrate our milestone birthday with the British nation, we are rolling out our biggest giveaway yet. They say the best things in life are free, and that includes celebrating our 30th birthday with us in true Irish style.”
Each O’Neill’s pub is set to “put its own spin on what it means to party like its 1994” this weekend.
You can also expect a lineup of live music and DJs blasting out tunes that’ll take you back to the nineties across the three days.
Because one Fern Modern Sushi wasn't enough, we've now got two.
And guess what? It's even better than the first.
Fern Modern Sushi located in the unassuming Central Arcade has become a firm foodie favourite after opening just a couple years ago.
Run by the wonderful Chef Fern, who you could say is somewhat of a local celebrity at this point, the restaurant is known for serving delicious sushi with the freshest fish possible and traditional Japanese dishes with modern flair.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Full with hungry punters no matter the time of day, it's no surprise that Chef Fern has just opened Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 on Park Row.
This beautiful new space is serving up all the classic Fern dishes, from stacked donburi bowls and perfectly rolled sushi to miso glazed cod and hearty bowls of ramen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Different for this location, though, is their exclusive cocktail menu - so you can wine and dine to your heart's content.
The interior has also levelled up, complete with a huge open kitchen so you can pull up a chair and eat whilst watching the magic happen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And this isn't all that Chef Fern is up to, after opening Tori Nori on Vicar Lane a few months ago this will be her third restaurant in the city centre, and that is no easy feat.
She's even got another restaurant imminently opening in the Central Arcade which will be focused on traditional katsu dishes, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if she had something else lined up in the pipeline.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 officially opens on 19 November, but is open now for soft launch with limited bookings.
A pub in Leeds has been crowned the third best in Britain by The Good Food Guide
Clementine Hall
A Leeds pub has been crowned one of the very best in the country by The Good Food Guide.
The trusted guide has just released its 100 Best Pubs in Britain list, and we're very chuffed with the results indeed.
Taking the coveted number three spot is our very own The Highland Laddie, a 100-year-old city centre institution that reopened in April 2025 in the hands of new owners Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton.
These guys also run the Empire Cafe, so you just know it's going to be good.
Last year they soared straight to the top of the list and were crowned the best pub in the whole of Britain by the guide.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This time, the Queen's Arms over in Eccles came number one followed by The Cow in Notting Hill.
We still think bagging third place is quite the achievement, and if you've visited The Highland Laddie yourself you'll know just how much of a special place it is.
Don't just take our word for it, The Good Food Guide labelled the Laddie as 'a true pub with a genuine community vibe'.
They also said: "Reenergised by the team behind the Empire Cafe in 2025, this is everything that a proper English pub should be – 'oh, and they have a mustard menu!'
"Inside, the Laddie ticks all the boxes, preserving the essentials of a traditional old-school boozer and maintaining a genuine sense of community while letting the good times roll. As for the food, it’s ‘both high-end and accessible’, pulling in ideas from all over, whether you fancy a freshly shucked Lindisfarne oyster, a keema toastie or an elevated ham roll with bread cooked over the coals.
"Dig deeper and you might find a lobster madeleine with Yorkshire chorizo butter, a treacle onion tart or pork schnitzel with two fried eggs. Club steaks are served by the inch, there’s no creative let-up when it comes to sides, and the nostalgia is ramped up with the likes of strawberry and Champagne trifle with ‘sprinkles’.
"But never forget that this is a self-proclaimed ‘drinkers’ pub’ dispensing everything from ‘properly served’ British brews and ’the best Guinness in Leeds’ to a staggering line-up of whisky optics."
Emily Sergeant -
7th June 2024 
