The Blackstock

 

The White House

      
      Located opposite Clissold Park on 313 Highbury New Park. No real ales, just John Smith's and the usual crap lager selection. Quite empty when I visited. Recently refurbished with hardwood floors, comfy seating, red walls, lots of Tv screens and a pool table. gmap 

T Bird

 

The Gunners

 

The Bank of Friendship

 

The Woodbine

Located at 215 Blackstock Road, near Arsenal. Nice interior, furniture and jukebox. Real ales like Timothy Tailor & Co - Landlord + Fullers - London pride on Tap.....review on its way. gmap

The Park Tavern

Just off Stroud Green road on Tollington park road. Quiet place no ales on tap and little reason to visit really. Shame really because it has so much potential as a nice old local
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The Larrik

    Abbot Ale and IPA. Jenga and other games. Open plan with comfortble leather seating. On the opposite corner to the Old Dairy at the start of Crouch Hill. Food is also served but a bit pricey for what you get.  gmap

The Finsbury

Located near Manor House tube. Tetley on draught...nothing really to shout home about. Three pool tables @£1.20 a pop, a bit dear really for a ropey pub. Open until 12 everyday,so its perfect for that extra hour of drinking but not alot else. Has the atmosphere of a wet fart, was really quite nice once. Bar maids used to beautiful, now they are mostly English. Toilets nearly as bad as the worlds end. lots of tvs for the footy. gmap Update !! Under new Management. Interior has been improved slightly, with London Pride on the pump at £3.20 a pint. The quality of the pint is a lottery really, staff here not on the ball when it comes to looking after a barrel. Wheelchair access ramp at entrance which is nice to see.

The Gaslight, Finsbury Park

This is located on the Station Place side of Finsbury Park underground and rail station (newly redeveloped station concorse). There is a pool table, station view, a small tv and not a lot else (thus empty regularly). I will check in and see what ale they have on tap soon.......sometimes it is surprisingly good. gmap Update !! Under New Management and redecorated

The Railway

 One of the smallest pubs I've been to in London. Its located on the Well's Terrace side of Finsbury Park undergroud station, directly opposite the exit.

The Beaconsfield

A nice and friendly pub in Harringay. I love the old interior of this place, look up at the ceiling. It has an island type bar with IPA and London Pride on the pump. There are 3 large screens plus a load of little ones to watch the footy, 2 pool tables and a outdoor smoking area. There are local group of good pool players, if one wants some competition. Sometimes there are pub quizes and live music. Hotel accomodation available above pub via booking. Happy and nice staff+ pub dog gmap View Larger Map Pool competition on fridays. Starts 8.30pm but get there at 8pm just incase its busy. Normally about fifteen people turn up for it

The White Lion of Mortimer

Generally dogey because of the local 'radio rental' clientel....sometimes has good food, although my friend did get a really ill from here. This pub constantly disappoints when it comes to the state of their real ales. Always ask for a sample first here, as they specialize in eye-watering vinegar, sometimes served warmer than room temperature. I have wasted my time and money coming to beer festivals here. Good range of foreign lagers. Better to visit in the summer, when the shutters are open and there is outside seating. Keep all valuables at home when coming here(not joking!). The locals stare at you unless you blend in and grunt periodically. The guvner is a moron but the staff are ok and efficient. gmap

The Old Dairy, N4

      The Old Dairy is located on the bottom end of  Stroud Green Road  on 1-3 Crouch Hill. Lost most of its character it had left in the last few years (been glammed up too much inside) but has an incredible exterior. Its alright for a quiet sunday lunch with papers, plenty of seating. Sometimes a good range of bitters but not always on...!! Gets really packed on match days.
     (ps. the cow is missing from the roof...I miss it, owls still perched on ledges though!)   gmap

The Camden Head

The review is on its way........ 

The Alexandra Bar and Dining Room

Avoid at all costs and remember not to judge a book by its cover nor a beautifull looking pub exterior, as true darkness lies within. Located on the corner of Alexander Grove and Seven sisters. The staff are still in the process of evolution and havent got past the Amoeba stage. The elderly lady looks like a cross between a bulldog chewing on a wasp and a heavilly puckered cats anus. Her barside manner is also noteworthy of a walking, talking, skeleton dressed as a teenage trollop with a coarse South African accent and an evil attitude. If you do intend on entering this terrible place bring some moisteriser as a donation to the poor soul, then... leave. The Thai food, well who cares? It's all the same nowadays overpriced and unoriginal. If there was a number less than zero, this place would get it. (-1000) gmap Update, pub was closed and demolished to make way for new developement of houses. Great shame as the building itself was brilliant just the last few owners were idiots. Should never have been allowed to be knocked down.The new developement hasn't even finished and it is already an eyesore.

Tasting Notes

Also coming soon.... Courage Directors Abbot Ale Fuller's Discovery, ESB, Chiswick and Honey Dew. Timothy Tailor & Co Landlord Milton Nero Deuchars IPA  Roasted Nuts  Fuller's London Pride  Night Glow Greene King IPA  Adnams Old Ale

 Bishops Finger  Banana Bread Beer  Strong Pale Ale

The Salisbury, Harringay N4

View Larger Map On Green Lanes and No.1 Grand Parade, a few bus stops away from Harringay Rail station. Old school London pub with lots of comfy seating, amazing interior and nice clientel. Ok food and live music sometimes. Fuller's London Pride, ESB, HSB, Honeydew and Discovery. Litovel Classic and Premium Czeck lager. Hoegarden, Leffe and Erdinger are the other imports. They all cost more here than anywhere else locally but, worth it considering the other options.....heritage pub. gmap

The Oakdale Arms

..more coming soon, ale drinking heaven and rock are the words that naturally spring to mind when thinking about the Oakdale Arms in Harringay. There are eight dedicated handpumps, most are from the Milton brewery with one or two guest ales. At the moment there is one of three annual beer festivals going on there. The selection of real ales, stouts and ciders are trully amazing. The local community and friendly staff are what keeps this place going. There is a pool table, darts, table football and giant Jenga to keep you amused. The jukebox has some brilliant tunes. No food on sundays after lunch, you've been warned. gmap View Larger Map Update They have nintendo wii too. Pub seems to be getting slowly ruined. There are less pumps on bar, less punters and some of the staff just planly dont want to be there. Few vivariums with reptiles added around the place

The Swimmer @ Grafton Arms

Nice hidden pub in a terrible area (the arse end of Holloway), not a massive place but frequently full. Outdoor but covered, gas heated seating and over priced food. Drinks include Fuller's-Honey dew, ESB, HSB, London Pride, Adnam's-The Bitter, Fruli (strawberry), Leffe, Erdinger, Hoegarden, Litovel-Classic and Premium Czech lager and the usual crap. The staff here are generally rude and unpleasant. Odd opening hours too, regularly closed for no apparent reason. Don't think the owners realise its a pub that serves food, instead of a restaurant with a pub bar
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The Twelve Pins

.... review coming soon 

The Worlds End - N4

RIP - Twas one of the best pubs in the area for decades with a wonderful history, then taken over by some idiots, who then slowly tortured it, until every ounce of what made it great had gone away. One or two old faces remain behind the bar but all that remains is a diseased carcass. It used to have events on every night with a huge trendy following, now 9/10 chavs would drink here. Also, they seem to bring in guest ales quite regularly but dont know how to look after them. Most of the time it's so bad i would rather pour the pint over my chips because of the overpowering smell of vinegar (off ale). I would shun this place until they pull their collective fingers out. The pub has really fithy smelling gents loo and very menacing looking bouncers on the doors @ the weekend. Update !! Has changed hands a few times since I reviewed this place. Much improved but could be better, ales at least are drinkable now. The loos urinal no longer sears your eyes and makes you wretch from toxic vapours. Vibe has changed for the better, quite trendy sometimes even. Shall re-review this pub again
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The Faltering Fullback

A few minutes walk from Finsbury park tube and bus station, you'll find the fullback tucked away on a quiet Perth Road View Larger Map One of my dearest places, across the park from me (Finsbury Park). A great pub in general with an amazing exterior, nice clientel, impeccable atmosphere, pool table, beer garden and Thai food(a bit pricey for the portions you get!). It gets absolutely packed in the evenings from thursday onwards. It has two different seating areas(one being of the garden bench variety) and two sets of toilets. So, on the ale front only London Pride and John Smith's (not the tastiest in the world!) but they do have Leff, Staropramen, Hoegardden and other super imports. Regular guest ales would make this pub a winner of more than just flower awards. Update ! Garden area has been tastefully expanded with decking upstairs. Warm lights and ample covered seating

The Dove W6

If you have a lady friend and would like to take her somewhere special, then look no further than 'The Dove'. This place is hidden on the Thames in Hammersmith in a tiny alley called Upper Mall (No.19). It has an incredible interior although not all of it is original. It serves the finest Fuller's draught ale you will ever taste. There was Hock, ESB, Discovery and London Pride. On the weekends it is generally packed and food has to be pre-ordered an hour or so due to demand. Together with the wonderful food and beverages there are greats views to be had of the Thames from the conservatory side. Well worth the visit.

The Brownswood Park Tavern, the best local ever.Really !!!

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Ah.. The Brownswood Park Tavern, @ 271 Green Lanes, what a fantastic place...! Great owner and friendly staff. One of North London's gems. This is going to be a regular port of call for my friends and I. They have London Pride and Courage's Directors as standard and a fine array of whiskeys . Last night was a heavy night of Scotlands finest Caledonian Deuchars IPA with a extra tipple of 'Rusty Nails'(1 shot Drambuie & 1 shot Jameson). Thats only way to drink for me or my lass. The interior of this pub is truly amazing, lots of cut glass, dark wood finishes and a pool table tucked away round a corner. Very popular with the locals, cyclists, climbers and hardcore samplers like myself. I thoroughly recomend this place to anyone.

Not enough beer in the world !

I saw an article in the London Lite, which gets stuffed in my face a hundred times a day walking down a road, about bathing in beer and hops (with added massage). It's called 'beer draff therapy' developed by those ever so wise Austrians. Sounds good but what a waste of ale if you ask me.....and who apart from footy nutters, would want to be covered in lager anyway..Ahh England, it never ceases to surprise nor bewilder.

I was @ The Orange Brewery, 37-39 Pimlico Rd, the other day with the lass and it was ok,but lacked the soul it used to have a while ago.....also looking a bit tatty on the edges inside(lamps falling off walls etc..) Not something I would expect to find, being in such a wonderful area and being under new management. Tut..tut hooray henry's. On a plus note, we had a great pint of 'Adnam's Broadside'.

Hi...welcome my real ale friends

       Hello everyone...!! I will take you on a journey, along with my battered liver, through my drinking exploits throughout London. I am a huge fan of bitter, porter+stout, IPA, Golden ale and Mild ale and will walk an extra mile if I have to, in order to find that quality pint and pub. Some will be frequent getaways of mine and some will be places that I have simply stumbled upon. My girlfriend and my friends share my passion for drinking quality cask ales and we often cant help but look at the pumps, in every pub possible, to sample their wares behind the bar. It is our mission to bring you the quintessential ale and pub guide together with photos, tasting notes and in the future audio, video + RSS feeds. I like a good game of pool and most of the time I thrash everybody. My girlfriend is good though but spanks me silly when it come to Rummy (cards) .My other drinking passions are Polish vodka, Hungarian Palinka and Drambuie.
        I just wanted to mention a quick hello to Steven Mans, Nick + Si, Tomi T, Epoc, Chubby, Marta & Gabi, Steve and Claire, Jeevan, Mark, Charbel, Olat, Marie, Christian O, Hamza, Calum, Peti, Feri and all other friends and aquaintences I have.
        I shall focus on the real ales but will also mention some info on the special stuff. Remember, never trust russians or their vodka as it could kill you with no radiation involved :-} . Take that Vlad.!!!