The Holy Hobo, Newcastle - Jesmond's Secret Lair, Cocktail Bar and Kebab House

* This is a collaboration with The Holy Hobo

From the title of this review you might be thinking to yourself, "what?", and believe me before my first visit to Newcastle's new neighbourhood venue, The Holy Hobo, I was a little confused about what it was about too. A place for daily worship? Cocktail bible? Tank Beer and a Drs Lair?

I think we'd best take a look?

Many will recognise The Holy Hobo as the former Mr Lynch! Opposite As You Like It, in the heart of Jesmond - home to Newcastle's coolest drinkers, enthusiastic students and the odd 30 something trying to cling on to their youth (that'll be me then!) With plenty of bars and a buzzing foodie scene, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Jesmond probably doesn't need yet another bar, however Holy Hobo is trying something a little different.

Leave your worries at the door, grab a group of friends and get ready to believe in the wonderful world of The Holy Hobo. A mecca of good vibes they serve up colourful cocktails, delicious food (up until 2:00 am!) are are one of only two places in Newcastle serving Budvar tank beer (transported to Jesmond from the Czech Republic once a week!)

Stepping through the doors with my friend Sarah by my side we didn't know where to look first, The Holy Hobo is a real feast for the eye with the most beautiful interiors. An eye catching neon sign, plenty of foliage and, perhaps the most important part for any Instagram fans, Newcastle's very own angel bicycle. It really is only a matter of time before every single one of us has a snap riding it!

The food at Holy Hobo is a double page spread of my favourite types of food - Burgers, Loaded Carbs, Grilled Cheese Sourdough, Salads "for the puritans amongst us" and, a Geordie's favourite, signature Kebabs.  Yes, I did say Kebabs!  You see, the Holy Hobo is a very special kind of kebab house that serves up create it yourself posh kebabs with slow cooked meats made from scratch and plenty of fresh fillings. Each kebab comes with your choice of filling, fresh salad and two spice pots as well as naan style bread.

The Drinks Bible at The Holy Hobo offers some great craft beers (which I know my husband would love), Posh Shandies, a huge Rum list and some lovely Gin Pairings but for me this trip was all about enjoying some slightly crazy, colourful cocktails.

There are pages of classics, Martinis and Mojitos (including the "Redemption of Ant McPartlin" .. cheeky!) but it was definitely the "Tuck Shop" drinks that caught my eye. The perfect drinks for big kids the menu includes a "Dip n Dab" (complete with sherbert Dib Dab and a lolly on the side!) and "Netflix and Chill" (comes served in a retro popcorn box topped with something you wouldn't expect!) and Tuck Shop Shots that taste of sweets!

Happy Hour is every day from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm so, taking advantage, we decided we'd double up (always a sensible decision on a Wednesday evening!) and started our night off with a Twister each (£5.75), served in a short glass the cocktail tasted like a melted ice lolly, absolutely delicious!

Personally I would recommend that you visit Holy Hobo with one of your foodie friends because the menu is best enjoyed with a hungry belly and greedy eyes.

We decided to order a couple of starters to share (sharing is caring!) and opted for Halloumi Fries (£6.95) served with fresh pomegranate, lime and coriander sour cream and Popcorn Shrimp (£6.95) served with Asian slaw, lime wedges and sweet chilli dip. The perfect start to our evening the dishes were perfect to share, really delicious and left us excited for our main course.

Typical me, when it came to ordering my main course I had to go for the biggest, dirtiest burger on the menu - I just can't help myself.  The Holiest of Holy Bagel (£11.50) was pretty much a breakfast in a burger (yes that is baked beans in a burger, don't judge me!) - monterey jack cheese, fried egg, house hash potatoes, baked beans and hobo sauce all stuffed inside a bagel - it was quite a beast!

First impressions I loved how the egg fitted so perfectly on top of the burger so that the yolk was peeping out through the hole of the bagel like a beautiful golden halo. Served on what could only be described as a giant tray, it looked absolutely incredible!

Unfortunately the kitchen were all out of potatoes so I had fries on the side of my burger so I can't report back on the full experience, however having stuffed this epic burger into my mouth I'd say that the additional potatoes probably make it even harder to eat. Tackling this monster definitely required a knife and fork, there was no way I was going to attempt to pick it up!

The fillings were delicious (egg on a burger really is the best!) and I loved how crispy the bacon was. I wasn't too keen on the burger being in a bagel rather than a bun, personally I found it was a little too dry and I'd love to see this beauty in a soft brioche bun instead to really hit the spot.

Sarah opted for a kebab which I was very happy about as I was very curious about the DIY element. First she chose her filling - Moroccan 12hr slow cooked shredded lamb (£11.95) and then her salad and finally she added two sauces.

Our eyes almost popped out of our heads when her food appeared, a huge tray packed full with all the necessary elements to create the perfect kebab, she set to work immediately creating a huge delicious mess that was impossible to eat without getting a tad dirty (isn't that just the best kind of food?)

Neither of us could finish our food, that's how huge the portions were. I hardly ever leave anything on my plate but Holy Hobo well and truly defeated me and, can you believe it, I couldn't even manage dessert! I'm a little gutted as dessert is my favourite course and as there isn't a sweet menu online I can't even tell you what they serve, I'm very curious to find out!

Before we left there was just one more place that we had to explore - The Dr's Lair, the very secret home of Dr Sinclair that you will find hidden at The Holy Hobo, but only if you know where to look! Accessed through a vintage photo booth using a secret password, the lair is a secret bunker of red velvet curtains, flickering lights and offers a different cocktail menu to the main bar in Holy Hobo all served in very curious looking test tubes, bottles and vials. It's open over the weekend so make sure you discover the secret when you pop by for a visit!

Find Holy Hobo at:

Jesmond Three Sixty
Archbold Terrace
Jesmond
NE2 1DB

0191 281 3010

holyhobo.co.uk/

We were invited for complimentary food and drinks at The Holy Hobo in exchange for an honest review.