The Charles Henry Roe pub in Crossgates currently holds the unwelcome title of the worst-rated Wetherspoons in Leeds.
Tripadvisor users have given it a dining rating of just 2.5 out of 5, with half of reviewers branding the Austhorpe Road pub terrible.
I thought I’d head down to check out whether tales of rude staff, dirty tables and agonisingly long wait times would be proved true.
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My initial impression was amazement at how busy the place was. Almost every table inside the large one-floor pub was taken on this mid-week midday.
There was a mix of families and older couples eating at the tables as well as a smattering of mostly men drinking pints on high tables near the bar. It was a lively, friendly atmosphere.
I took a table and checked over the menu but stopped quickly as the first evidence of the pub's dubious accolade became apparent.
My elbows were sticky with whatever foody glaze had been left on the table by the last diner.
But no matter, maybe I should have checked. I shrugged it off and ordered a hot and spicy char-grilled half chicken in a Naga chilli and citrus glaze.
It was served with coleslaw, Sriracha sauce and Mexican rice.
At £9.25 with a pint of Budweiser, it was more expensive than most Wetherspoons meals but it was far more delicious as well.
The chicken was tender and the tasty glaze seeped into the surface of the meat. There was plenty of crispy and flavourful skin as well.
The rice complemented the chicken well but I could have just as easily enjoyed the french fries option.
Dispelling two bad reviews in one, the polite and cheerful waitress who took my order brought the meal to my table within 10 to 15 minutes.
In fact, food was flying out of the kitchen to all corners of the pub at an impressive rate this particular lunchtime.
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Overall I was thoroughly satisfied by my visit to The Charles Henry Roe in Crossgates.
It may not be the most architecturally striking Wetherspoons building, or the most relaxed dining atmosphere but I found it to be a friendly local pub with decent grub. What more can you want from a 'Spoons?
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