please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Now two ales (Sharps Special and GK Abbott - both warm).
Think the lustre of this place has long gone, it's living on memories. Time for a lick of paint, some maintenance and a rethink.
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Its called the Good Mixer because when the bulding was completed, the builders discovered that their cement mixer had been left in the cellar. They could'nt get it out - so they buried it in the cellar where part of it still sticks out. When they told their boss, he said 'that was a good mixer' and the name was given to the pub; this is true. However, the fact that the pub is next door to one of the biggest mens hostels in Britain tells its own story.
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You could go here, but you'd be 15 years too late.
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Coke and speed, people shagging in the toilets, Andy Ross and his proteges, Coxon, 'Cat in the Hat', Mr Mustard & Nigel & Bruce, chasing young american and japanese girls, Scottie behind the bar, 'I wanna be your Dog' on the jukebox AHH those were the days.
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went in a while ago (first time in a few years) the place has been ruined.used to be a great pub,wouldnt give it the time of day now.
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no, no, no. To quote Amy Winehouse
anonymous - 27 Aug 2007 12:08 |
This place reminded me of a eightie's rugby club, lots of darkly painted tongue and groove on the walls, wooden benches to sit on and an odd lay out with the bar spanning the centre of the pub.
The bar staff were friendly and helpful and the prices were reasonable considering the location but the selection of drinks (especially the beer) wasn't great. I won't be rushing back.
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A very very overrated pub
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I dont use this pub as much as i should do.Enjoy a game of pool and spending a fortune on the juke box.This is the sort of pub I like,I think I will go there this afternoon.
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Complete turnover in staff and manager within a couple of years (although same owners apparently) but very little else has changed. Same beers, same punters, same pool tables, same layout, same good prices, same top pub.
Actually, something else has changed. A new juke box. And which charges an absolute criminal 3 plays for a quid. No coincidence that you end up hearing long absences of music as a result. A juke box shouldn't be seen as a way to make money, it's a way to add atmosphere to a pub.
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This was recommended to me and I, to this day, am perplexed as to the reason why. Hordes of the alternatively-clad, affecting the style I believe to be "grunge", hang around and sip upon its rather lacklustre range of beers. The aesthetics are also most disappointing, having the feel of a council estate community centre rather than a supposedly enjoyable pub. Then again - compared to some of the other places that pass for pubs in Camden - this is probably one of the more salubrious taverns.
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Good little Pub.Guinness ok, barstaff friendly and good at what they do.Punters genuine normal people.I like this pub.Great Juke box, they even have Runnin riot on it.Only complaint is that it does get full to the point where you are always in someones way. but i'm not going to let that put me off.Be warned , the journey up Inverness st to get to the boozer is the usual assault course past the drug dealing filth, but thats not the pubs fault!
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i liked it, not amazing but looks like it hasnt changed in years which maybe it hasnt. good mix of people. will be on my circuit
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Went here for a Britpop pilgrimage, having missed out in my formative for being a) too young and b) living in Bristol.
Wasn't expecting much, but was pleasently surprised by what I found. There was an ale, (Sharps) and a good atmosphere. It was more smokey than Buncefield, and I guess this'll be a place that will be hit hard by the government's fascist ban.
Populated the art school trendies it's not a pub for everyone but worth it for the blue plaque value if you like your Indie with ice. Sadly there was no Menswear on the speakers.
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It's not the odd celebrity/ famous musician you might bump into here that makes this pub, It's the friendly staff/atmosphere/punters. This place should only be visited if you like your pint without pretentiousnes.
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If you prefer to spend your evenings in a cosy All Bar One with friends, having a sophisticated conversation about Bob Geldof's chances to rid the world of poverty. If your music collection consists of the whole back catalogue of hits that are regulary played on Capitol/Heart radio. If you only wear Designer labels. If buy your groceries at Marks & Sparks/Waitrose and not Tesco's. Then
Dont even think off coming here!!
Welcome to the last bastion of greatness in Camden Town. Wecome to the Good Mixer...
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Pig eared little place full of smoke, tight jeans and tatty pool tables. Bit of a squeeze Thur through Sun but friendly bar staff and you never have to wait to long to get served. Draws youngish pork pie hat wearing NME reader crowd hopping to clock members of The Kooks/Kasabian/Libertines but overall mixed crowd of Portuguese punks, countless garage rock inspired Swedes and the stray, shy Japanese fashion student on holiday/Camden Market exploration. Only drawback is Inverness Street on which pub lies is crawling with undesirable drug dealers and unruly teenage Somalian gang members. This is not the fault of the mixer and it’s a shame that they, alongside all the other eating and drinking establishments in this street have to endure such poorly policed disobedience.
anonymous - 30 Sep 2006 03:51 |
Beaten to it by the last reviewer, this is a grotty pub full of people thinking it is 1995 and with it. Not a good pub in any way.
TheGP - 17 Sep 2006 11:12 |
This pub is a strange one - the pool tables dominate the place and there really isn't much room for anything else. I feel that some of the punters are trying too hard to be alternative.
Last night wasn't that busy, but I have been there when it has been really too crowded to be worthwhile being there.
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I have mixed feeling about the Good Mixer. I find the times when it's too packed a bit of a headache (Friday and Saturday nights). I was there from New Year and it got to be far to busy for my liking (Although they didn't charge to get in unlike most other places). Generally it's good fun though and the clientele are a good bunch. The jukebox is excellent with a good selection of new and old indie and classics.
The standard on the pool tables is usually good - ie i usually lose (although i am not a bad player!)
Would reccommend - 8/10
wocca - 24 Aug 2006 15:43 |
A good place to end the night on Saturday. Opened late, friendly and frenetic bar staff, full of a good mix of people. Even served a decent real ale - Sharp's Special. I liked it. Certainly it is the best of the Inverness Street bars.
anonymous - 13 Aug 2006 15:46 |
Nice for a quiet game of pool and a JD coke in the afternoon.
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If you’re like me and passionate about rock 'n roll, then the chances are that The Good Mixer is automatically going to pick up plus points and your judgment may be somewhat cloudy. However, if you were to strip all that away or if you had no interest, just how good is this pub exactly? Well, it has a decent selection of drinks reasonably priced, the staff are friendly, there’s a good jukebox (naturally) and two pool tables. However, despite the pub being split into two sections, it still feels a little crammed in and I wasn’t there when it wasn’t busy, so heaven knows what it feels like when it's packed. The only REAL downside to this place though is the toilets. The stench is appalling. So, all in all, yes this place has some fantastic and interesting history to it, but at the end of the day it's just a fairly decent boozer, nothing more.
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What can I say about the good mixer, that already has not been said.
Yes the place is the colour of a dead salmon, and smells equally fragrant.
yes the place has a great juke box.
But where else can you meet italians, with bad hair
or 30 somethings who still pretend they at college, in the student uni bar.
Thats what makes this place priceless.
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Full of wanabees who have no idea who they are or what they really like, but think they're cool because they go to the Mixer where all the other cool people go. Pathetic.
Still has a reasonable beer selection and great juke box though.
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If you can stand the smell of stale urine in Inverness Street outside the Mixer, and it's early in the week, it's worth a visit. When this pub isn't jammed with 16 year olds who think Camden still rawks, it's got a great atmosphere, fantastic jukebox, great Aussie staff and a good vibe, despite the knicker-pink walls and awful loos. However, in busy times the place gets packed, and the two pool tables mean blokes are forever going ''Scuse me, mate' as they take a shot and still ram you in the back with a cue. And it's cold. Maybe best avoided by those over 30.
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On first glance this is a strange pub for such popularity/notoriety, but the fact that Blur/Oasis used to drink here (probably for about 2 weeks in 1994 but anyway...) means that it attracts it's fair share of musical tourists mixed in with a cool, laidback local indie crowd. Still on the whole it (just) deserves it, fun and lively place to start an evening in London's Indie capital with (almost) always impeccable choices of music on the Jukebox. What can i say, it's a personal favourite.
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A very Camdenny pub. I think the word "pissmire" was invented to describe the Gents'.
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The pub has a somewhat unique style. Good range of drinks. Main grumble is it's always busy and crammed, and here's where the grumble comes in, they have tits playing pool there when it's so crammed. Said tits then get grumpy when they can't get there shot in. Sadly tourists tend to pack the place out.
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Basic and unpretentious and something of a local legend. Usually a lively and cosmopolitan mixture (but ultimately friendly) mixture of punters. No matter how busy it is you always seem to get served immediately. Great juke box. Just possibly the best pub in Camden.
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I love this place. Nuff said
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Forget the whole Britpop thing and just enjoy a good old fashioned unpretentious pub. Inexpensive, good atmosphere, a lovely lived-in charm and a decent jukebox.
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Went in recently. I liked it. What ever happened to Menswear?
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For the love of God let the brit pop thing go, it ages us all and theres nothing worse than horribly contrived nostalgia from kooky camdenites - people mix us locals up for you "krazy" day trippers from suburban zone 74.
The mixer is a good basic boozer, reasonably cheap, good staff and has pool and football. thats about it - you wont pull Jarvis, have a good old sing along with Damon or arm wrestle Liam.
And thats no bad thing.
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Fab in its mid 90s heyday. The veritable eye of the Brit Pop hurricane and the local for everyone in North London. Now looking and feeling a bit like the rest of Camden unfortunately. The party was over a few years ago, you bright young things, and all that remains is to sweep up and put the bin bags out for the garbage men to collect. (something they seldom do in NW1)
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I was here a few months ago and all i can say is "Britpop is DEAD, get over it!!"
anonymous - 20 May 2005 10:53 |
I've been a regular for 10 years or more. It's not as desperately trendy as it used to be, but it's still the down and dirty boozer it always was and that's why me and my mates love it. Saying that some hate it but they've no taste. Still lots of interesting characters and worth a punt on the pool table.
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s'alright. Y'get the dippy Camden types in (see below)but it is a good little rest-stop.
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classic boozer steeped in britpop history. magic. not everyone's bag, but i have always loved it.
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Used to go to this pub when I was underage-ooh naughty in the mid 1990's hoping I would see various members of Blur!Never happened,instead met Tricky Dicky from Eastenders and Mark from The Bluetones!
Drank copious amounts of vodka in here paid for by dirty old men(I was young-forgive me!)and fell in love with practically every Aussie and Kiwi member of barstaff in there over several months!Anyone remember the cool Jason,James and Dane?They were so cool.Ah,those were the days,to be 16 again!Ha Ha Ha,fond memories of this pub for being completely comatose and staggering home on the tube,talking complete nonsense with fellow drinkers and meeting some really nice people who must have thought we were crazy!
Jane - 11 Oct 2004 22:23 |
nice place, especially few years ago when morrissey was one of the costumers.
rhinoskin - 4 Oct 2004 23:06 |
An brilliant pub. Friendly staff who remember your order after you have been in twice. Ok we were in all afternoon. A great jukebox and lots of history.
Tom - 27 Sep 2004 00:30 |
Best pub I've ever been to! Friendly staff, great atmosphere, Excellent drinks! Whats left to say? I give it 20/10!!!
Sandy - 23 Sep 2004 21:13 |
My brother knows a bloke who sold his Dad's car coat to Graham Coxon in the Mixer years ago. The place is steeped in Britcrock, the question when drinking in here tends to be "why the fu..?" The answer is that its a decent little pub for a pint before making ones way to the latest disappointing Fall gig.
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A fantastic pub just because here the BLUR sang some years ago! But it's good also thanks to the good music, people, staff, beer, facilities etc.! (sorry for my english..i'm from italy..)
paola - 11 Sep 2004 15:14 |
my favourite pub in Camden, best music, best people, best barstaff:) and unforgetable atmosphere
kamila - 8 Sep 2004 17:38 |
One of my favourite pubs ever and easily my most visited this year.
Pool tables, good jukebox, sound and friendly staff (although it's tediously 100% male - apparently they dissuade prospective female employees by insisting they can carry a keg), two perfectly drinkable ales on tap (3B and Old Speckled Hen) and a late licence.
The celebrity-spotting mentioned here is very overhyped. General people-spotting is more rewardable, such as the time I saw a gothic chap using hair-spray in front of one of the mirrors near the pool table.
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I cam here with my best friend as we had heard it was THE place to be in Camden. It was very small, yet perfectly formed. I was FULL of people wonderimg in you where famous......
Jak Cooper - 5 Aug 2004 21:39 |
Not a bad pub, but its the history that makes it. The beer isn't bad, and the pool tables are good - pool is taken quite seriously here, but I won a few games and I'm crap. Whatever anyone tells you, it can still be a bit edgy, but this is balanced by some real friendly people. The burgers are good.
Owen - 21 Jun 2004 10:09 |
A lively pub off the high road in cool Camden. There are two pool table's balanced out by each side, where it's very popular with the sport heads.
A counter is in the middle where the friendly Austrlian/New Zelandish barstaff assist you with your orders.
A widescreen TV on one half of the pub is defiantly for the football fanatics and the pub is electric when there's a game on.
Food is served here with some lovely dishes. The traditional burger and chips is on the menu but is absoulutly scrumcous!Pasta and other delights graze the black board in front of you while you decide what you should endulge in.
A good mix of people entertain themselves here from the retro people, the posers, a few goths and punks and the general person having a relaxing drink after a hard days work.
I love this pub-it's full of different people, good music on the duke box and the atmosphere is colourful especially at the weekends.
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Not a bad pub, but lots of history to it meaning the jukebox is decent at least. Beers are reasonably priced and it's a good place to see the footy. (I heard a story a Mr Liam Gallaghers Barred for life) Told you it had history.
Brendan - 15 Feb 2004 15:00 |
I beat Finlay Quaye at pool here in early 2002. The series still stands Me 1-0 Quaye - he has never demanded a rematch although he was desperately unlucky to pot white with black. The pub's OK - scuzzy but neither as ppretentious nor as edgy as people might have you believe.
Matt - 12 Jan 2004 12:50 |
It was the scruffy group of lads who ran the bar from 1997-1998 and gave it it's reputaion as the
hottest bar in LONDON. Blurr came to see us!!!!!
jarrod - 8 Jan 2004 10:44 |
As you will hear all the time, the Good Mixer was the official public house of Britpop with luminaries such as Blur, Suede, Menswear and practically every band on the scene going in and supping their pints. The pub still has a lot of Food Records memorabilia on the walls, but the number of famous bands that drink in there now are practically zero, though current flavour of the month The Darkness pop in from time to time. If you see someone famous, please don't gush at the them.
However, if you are less shallow than to go there just to try and ogle once-famous floppy-fringers, then it actually ain't bad. The jukebox contains a good mix of classix (oh yes, with an x) and more up-to-date stuff for the indie kids. If you're expecting pop pap, don't bother. There are two pool tables, and a TV which will probably be showing any football from anywhere in the world, unless the Aussie and Kiwi bar staff (and that's all of 'em) have a big rugby game coming up, in which case you can whistle for the footie. They have a late licence so from Monday to Saturday last orders is at midnight, with Sundays having the chucking-out time at 11.00pm.
It's a fairly relaxed environment, with a good mix of passers-by and regulars. There is no predominant football team supported there, so you'll have just as much of a chance to watch your own team as anyone else. Lots of the stallholders from the markets drink there, but it's a weird and wonderful mix of people so if you're friendly, you can fit right in. The bar prices are very reasonable for Camden (£2.60 for a pint of Guinness), so don't be afraid to get a round in.
Beers include Guinness, Guinness Extra Cold, Stella Artois, Kronenbourg, Fosters, Abbot Ale, Staropramen, Grolsch, and there are two ciders available (Strongbow and Olde English, I think). The Mixer has a particularly strong cocktail menu also, including particular shooters known as a 'brain' or a 'rocket fuel'. Lethal – I kid you not. The food is pretty good, with an excellent line in chicken dishes and a late menu for hungry night owls. Overall, it's a friendly, reasonably-priced pub that's helps you to achieve exactly what it says on the pub sign: good mixing.
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Why the hell this ever became the epicentre of indie is beyond me. But there you go. Now the Blurs, Pulps and Menswears have all moved on there's not much left to go for. If indeed there ever was.
Good for: I'll go with the girls who said 'fringes'.
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a great rock and roll atmosphere, friendly talkative staff. a good looking bunch of media types/music industry people/students/tourists and camden locals.
week day afternoons are the best times, open pool tables, the odd celeb and an interesting place to while away your dole money.
fantastic place.
saturdays are a bit too crowded and full of weekend types.
(an ex-regular that went overseas)
leo - 18 Sep 2003 02:14 |
I don't mind this pub because it is a little unusual and has two pool tables. You do get a few oldies in here but they are quick to turf out the local plebbs who come in just to use the toilet. The toilet is usually locked for this purpose. Grolsch is on tap. They do say that this is where Blur would drink. The staff are antipodeans.
Doofer - 6 Aug 2003 12:38 |
The good mixer is crap. It has one saving grace and one only, which is that I once beat a rock star at pool there.
Matt - 5 Aug 2003 06:02 |
very special, certainly worth spending an evening a year there. not too sure about camden though
neil linderman - 28 Jul 2003 18:37 |
Certainly past its sell by date, but well worth a visit. One word would sum it up; fringes.
Anne & Ang - 19 Jul 2003 23:18 |
Very average but legendary with the Brit Pop crowd in the mid 90s
PJ - 10 Jun 2003 11:22 |
Please do not expect this pub to be like a chin pu ie: Moon under Water or O'Neils. Its a one off, an individual thats why we locals love it!
Regular drinker - 21 Mar 2003 13:45 |
It is open until 12, which is always a good thing. There are lots of young people, pool table and good atmosphere with nice staff. The jukebox has a wide range of records, mainly 60s, 70s and today's pop.
Lotta - 5 Feb 2003 15:08 |
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