May 20, 2012
A large, slightly shabby pub with friendly service and a good range of beers on tap and in bottles. The Rook and Gaskill is a freehouse but it’s owned by Tynemill (essentially Castle Rock), which explains why there were so many Castle Rock beers on offer, although there was a good range of others too. It’s on two levels and seems a little bit run down but we enjoyed our visit nevertheless. It was a Saturday evening and surprisingly quiet. The pub’s motif is an etching of two nooses, a reference to the pub having been named after Leonard Gaskill and Peter Rook, the last people to be executed at St Leonard’s gallows down the road in Green Dykes. They were hanged on 1 May 1676. Their crime? Stealing 13 sheep from a John Brown of Driffield. (Last visited 25 February 2012).

January 9, 2012
ok, but nothing you cant get anywhere else.

November 9, 2010
Traditional, friendly suburban neighbourhood pub, just a few steps from Walmgate Bar; do not expect an ornated Victorian pub: all You can find is a long, simple one-room pub with an excellent beer-range. The only detectable decoration is a "York Brewery" insignia on the floor. Nevertheless a must, when You are in York!!!!

September 2, 2007
Easily one of the best cask selection in York with a dozen of casks and they seem to have a good turnover as everything I tried was fresh. A large variety of brewers are represented as well. A couple of dozens of bottles complete the board. It’s also very small this pub and not totally in the very heart of the city - just outside the walls, so the feel is a bit more local than some. A must visit and amongst York’s top outlets.

October 23, 2006 [ Updated November 25, 2006 ]
A formerly run down community boozer, just ouside the city walls, given a bit of a facelift as a joint venture by the Tynemill pub group and York Brewery in 2002. But not too much of a facelift - that wouldn’t be the Tynemill way - so it still retains a boho/shabby chic/studenty feel. I guess the deal with York Brewery must have turned sour as its now wholly owned by Tynemill. Competes with The Maltings for the title of the premier beer outlet in York with a dozen or so handpulls (although I think the Maltings has a rather cosier feel). Beers from Vale, Oldershaw, Catle Rock, Acorn, Orkney, Mordue, Crouch Vale, Atlas and Nelson when I visited. Harvest Pale, Elsie Mo and the monthly special from Castle Rock (same ownership as Tynemill) take up three of the pumps, the rest change on a daily basis. Very quiet when we visited mid afternoon on Sunday.

September 22, 2006 [ Updated November 16, 2006 ]
I loved this place. 12 cask ales always and they have some beauties. The service was very nice... looked to be a uni student, but gave samples of ales you were interested in trying. Selection was great for a small pub. Go there if you in York

August 2, 2006 [ Updated August 10, 2006 ]
With the sign out front from CAMRA stating this as a real ale pub of the year I couldn’t exactly keep on walking by. Upon entering the tiny pub you are greeted by a single rectangular bar adorned with handpumps each offering a different tipple from hundreds of different real ale brewers throughout the UK. In the fridge is atleast 50 different imported ales and lagers from Belgium, Germany and the U.S., etc. Food was simple sausages, chips and the like, but who’s here for the food. Managed 14 ratings in two days and sat chatting wildly with the uni-students who seem to have found work behind the bar. A pleasantly quiet pub, often deserted during the day and usually free of the tourist horde that migrate passed inside the cities walls just across the way. Another plus for this pub is its extraordinarily clean toilets as opposed to many other pubs throughout the UK (just thought I’d bring that one up!).