please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I have been to the Duke of Cambridge quite a few times now - sometimes for a drink, sometimes to eat. Although pricey I have enjoyed all my meals. Good and, well...organic! Staff have never been rude to me, though I will say they mostly seem too busy to be especially friendly. It is fun trying all the organic ales and ciders but it gets quite painful on the wallet so I never stay here for multiple drinks if I'm paying! To be honest I'm surprised by the overwhelmingly negative reviews being posted here.
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Smug. Bland. And ridiculous. I went here for a friend's birthday on Friday and one of our party had baked a special birthday cake. But when they tried to bring it into the pub, they were barred. The reason was that as an organic pub, no non-organic food could be consumed on the premises (due to their organic certification).
We countered that saying the cake hadn't been made in the pub kitchens, hadn't been sold by the pub and that their kitchen was closed anyway. But no.
We then asked if we could at least cut the cake and sing happy birthday inside. But again no, non-organic food could not be cut or sung over on the premises. In the end, we had to go outside and serve the cake in the freezing cold and rain. Nice.
Otherwise, the service was surly, the food overpriced, the atmosphere ordinary and the cider terrible.
If you want a good, friendly pub that serves organic ales, go to the Charles Lamb down the road. It's excellent.
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1. This place is a rip-off. The food was so expensive and not all that.
2. Most of the staff (a couple were nice) had a real stuck up attitude. Everything seemed a chore and there was no sense of them considering us as customers.
3. The "organic cola" I had was tiny and bland. The cider, wine and beer that others in my party was not very good by all accounts.
4. It's not a pub, it's an overpriced bar.
All in all, a pretty poor experience. The rude service was the final nail in the coffin and I shall recommend my friends to avoid this pretentious "gastro-pub" like the plague.
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The barman wearing the red t-shirt was exceptionally rude, He acted like he had better things to be doing than serving us and on top of that the ale I asked for was obviously running out but he decided to try and draw every last drop out of the barrel!
It tasted and looked awful, perhaps he should be given an award for serving the worst pint of ale I've had all year.
They are trying so so hard and failing miserably on all levels.
Only a complete ponce would be oblivious to the pretentious front of this so called establishment.
Pah, you should be ashamed of yourselves!
Avoid this place like the plague.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!
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Visited this pub for a spot of Sunday lunch the other day. Its a mixed bag, and I'm afraid to say the food wasn't up to much. Organic or not, it was expensive and rather tasteless and poorly presented. I specifically asked for no chutney on my roast pork, but it still arrived flopped on the top. Everything on the plate was basically just mounded on top of a few roast potatoes in a heap. Talking of roast potatoes which were boasting being cooked with duck fat, the really tasted like they had been microwaved, they had that twang to them, not light a fluffy and crispy as you would expect. The pork had no crackling, or had much flavor it was rather bland, slightly overcooked and dry, and was swimming around in a watery juice which was supposed to pass a gravy...I think.
On to the beer then, I didn't think it was too bad, quite selection of organic beer on tap and the usual endless choices of bottles.
Staff....not so impressed, not very polite, didn't listen to simple menu orders, and not even a thank you when I paid my bill. Two roast porks, and two pints and one starter nearly fifty quid you would expect a thank you, wouldn't you? or are Islington bar keepers so up their own bum?
Decor....trendy? not sure...a lot of old wooden tables with chairs that don't match and floor boards and blue paint carelessly applied.
Avoid sums this pub up in one word unless your blind with more money than sence.
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I've tried to get on with this pub as it's just up the road but it's such hard work. The staff are so cool it hurts them to look at you. I don't need smiles or pleasantries but a basic level of communication would be good. A sneer doen't really count. Oh and the beer was, as I was expecting. on the expensive side, but also cloudy and not up to much. Added to all the other irritants I've given up on it.
chick - 28 Jul 2008 15:27 |
Nice old-fashioned styling inside, pretty spacious and excellent beers.
However, organic or not, it was all a bit pricey for me. I wouldn't have minded so much but the man behind the bar seemed terribly surly. Cheer up!
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great pub, cloudy beer - i thought maybe because it was organic - taking some advice apparently not ! rather expensive - a mixed bag but worth another visit sometime !
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Great place but a little bit on the expensive side. Gets rammed, justifiably. And by the way, speaking as a CAMRA obsessive, CAMRA is cool on the grounds that it has a magazine called BEER. How cool is that? Anyway, Duke of Cambridge didn't make it into the Good Pub Guide, but with a 5.0 from BITE (05/08/07) it's totally underrated here - which belies its crowdedness.
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If you would describe a "proper local" as having browning wall paper, chewing gum trodden carpet and cheap lager - this is not a local. If you would describe a "traditional local" as having floppy burgers and chips on offer - this is not a local.
Having lived across the road for two years I would go there to drink a decent pint and only on occasion to eat the food. A pub is only a "local" for the people who live nearby and go regularly. This status is not decided by idiots who drop in and then deign to share their thinking on the irrelevancy of what type of place it is when it is blatantly a pub with a restaurant section attached at the back (i.e. a gastropub). Judge this pub/restaurant/whatever on how good the experience is not the snobbery of what it is - no one is interested.
Incidentally it should be rated higher than 4.9/10. I have moved out of the area and am going back this evening for a beer!!
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If the question is if the Duke is a pub or a restaurant, the answer is yes. It's a good restaurant, but for the pub bit don't expect the "traditional inn". High-ceilinged, restaurant layout and with a high noise level it migh put off the traditionalists, but still serves a decent pint. OK if you are in the area.
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This is a restaurant. It has the atmosphere, furniture arrangement and staff you would expect to find in a restaurant.If you like hanging out here, you like hanging out in restaurants. Nothing wrong with that, but don't try and convince yourselves, and others, that it's anything other than a restaurant. Traditional pubs are about drinking alcohol not eating organic food. "Locals" are traditional pubs. I guess you can have a "local" restaurant, but not a "local" in the common sense of the term. Ergo, this restaurant cannot be a local.
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I agree with Nishclish - this is a proper local. Yeah, it does nice food, but nice food + wooden floorboards does not always equal gastropub. The bar area is small, but that's what most people like about it - its snug and cosy. The male version of what's in a local seems to revolve around CAMRA obsessives, old bloke in corner and keeping food as far away as possible. The other 50% of the population might disagree though - and on behalf of that 50% and quite a few blokes too - this is a really nice pub.
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To be honest I have mixed feelings about this place. Not really sure what to think of it.
But there's one thing that is certain - nishclish, this is NOT a "proper local" - it is (intentionally) the most unpubby of gastropubs you could imagine, more of a restaurant than anything else. Don't be misled, folks.
STONCH'S BEER BLOG - stonch.blogspot.com
anonymous - 11 Jan 2007 17:44 |
This is a real find, tucked away off of City Road, its a gem. Proper local with great real ales, and hearty pub food, this is the ideal place to lose an afternoon. Wooden floors and The Velvet Underground on the (sensibly volumed) speakers, but pork scratchings and Timothy Taylors too. I love this place, just wish I lived closer.
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Nice pub, the organic vibe is to be commended, but they are taking the piss with the prices. Drinking in here is very expensive.
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if there's one thing the clientele in here ain't its diverse!! they are all one and the same. this places attracts em like moth to a flame
anonymous - 25 May 2006 12:49 |
I have been to this pub a couple of times now and it is always packed!
In answer to the other comments on this site, I am not a local to Islington and find the clientele to be similar to the many other pubs and bars in the area - that is strange and diverse, but generally harmless.
I was looking forward to some of the Shoreditch Stout, but when I asked about it the barmaid didn't know what I was talking about, despite it being on the beer menu on the wall, it wasn't on tap. I opted for the Freedom Lager instead - it was OK, but not disimilar from any other lager that I could have got elsewhere.
I knew before going in that as this was an Organic pub that the prices were going to be higher than that of a non-organic pub, it was at the pricier end of the market, but not as stupendously expensive as some of the poncey bars on Upper Street.
I didn't eat there as eatin' is cheatin'.
In all an OK pub
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I thought it was all right. I quaffed some very nice beer in here. The food looked very nice and it smelled good, don't know how it tasted. I didn't really take much notice of the other people in here, so they can't have been so offensive as to make me not want to return.
As opposed to the usual grubby pubs that I tend to visit (out of choice) I could happily come here with my Doris! Think we'd have to go halves if we were eating though.
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Was there last Friday night for a bite to eat. Almost seventeen quid for roast lamb, so rare it was still baahing. As per katiep's review, the meal consisted of a few slices of meat, some spinach and about five half pieces of new potato. I agree with paying a bit of a surcharge for organic stuff, but this is taking the piss. My pint of Eco Warrior wasn't at it's peak either. Avoid at all costs. This place certainly ain't a local boozer.
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Over priced is an understatement. Our 2 slices of lamb with a couple of baby potatos was nearly twenty quid and it was raw. The staff were glaring at us the minute our plates were taken away as though we should leave to free up the table. And it is full of trendy Islington organic types. This shouldn't be called a pub it's more a wanky restaurant that happens to sell beer.
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This place was offensive due to the patrons. Really, awful, awful people. If you want to witness more smugness per square yard and a lot of ugliness to boot make a beeline here.
They have a really good selection of organic beers from Pitfield, St Peters and Freedom on draught, with more in bottles. My pints of Shoreditch Stout were good. At £3 a pint it should be however.
The bar area is an enormous cavern - the antithesis of all that makes a pub cosy and conducive to relaxation and a good evening. The cacaphony of sound from the baying losers at every table makes it feel like the walls are closing in. The food is very, very expensive.
I wouldn't bother. If your only reason for coming here is to sample unusual cask ales, get yourself to the nearby Wenlock Arms. If you want a variety of drinks and good value food with great service and comfortable surroundings, make for the Island Queen around the corner. But avoid this place.
anonymous - 6 Jan 2006 10:57 |
Really pricey place. And usually very busy, best to book if you want to eat. Food was pretty good though.
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I go to Duke of Cambridge a lot and I really enjoy it. The food is excellent and comparable in price to other 'gastropubs' in the area. The portions are so big that you might as well share a starter - which keeps the cost down.
They must be doing something right - you can never get a table!
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I like it here, went on Sunday evening, very good atmosphere, dark and busy. organic lager also very good. the salmon is excellent, although roast chicken was disappointing and expensive at £34 for 1 starter and 2 mains.
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Yep - the organic ales, larger and wine is good, different, an experience but expensive. Pub wide, open and cosily dark of an evening but can get crowded with "organic" types.
anonymous - 1 Aug 2005 16:28 |
Was served a cloudy pint of Pitfield Hoxton Best or Pitfield Original on Sunday afternoon. When I raised this with the barman he said "It's supposed to be cloudy - it's organic". I said "That's funny, it's never been cloudy in the Wenlock Arms". To which he replied, "Which is Where?". I told him it was just down the road. He said, in the manner of Nigel Tufnell from Spinal Tap, "Yes, but this is organic". Prat. Don't go to this pub, they don't know how to keep beer properly and they try and fob customers off with bullsh;t.
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didn't get round to sampling the food (though agree it was expensive) but loved the beers. My personal choice was Freedom
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Agree with Kieran about the excellent food, the good atmosphere and the large tables. The food is organic other than the salmon which is wild as opposed to organic as they can't tell what it has eaten!! I preferred the St Peter ale to my first choice and the wine was fine. All this leaves a bit of a hole in the wallet though: 2.90 a pint 3.60 for small glass of wine, 4.60 for large. £13-14 for Chicken/Lamb/Salmon mains and 5.50 for pud. For these prices would expect a fine dining experience rather than pub style surroundings, having said that fine for a relaxing evening with good food.
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Ever played Pacman?..Well the first time you enter this pub & try to get round the slightly large tables on the way to the bar....you could well feel the hot breath of the said monster at your neck!!..icy tingle & shiver!!....Its nice to escape with an organic brew, but make sure you only get halves till you find your nectar...even the stouts can be disappointing...but saying that, the atmosphere is spot on & the food is excellent.
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