North West London pub and bar guide

Here's a guide to the pubs and bars of North West London - good or bad, we bring you the most talked about venues and the places you have to visit at least once. We've included a few user reviews, to give you an idea of what to expect when you get there. Or you can follow the links to see full details and all reviews for each pub.

The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak

picture of The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak

Address: 139, Highgate Rd, London, NW5 1LE
Phone: 020 7485 1511
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Nearest tube stations: Gospel Oak (0.2 miles), Tuffnell Park (0.4 miles), Kentish Town (0.5 miles)


Nearest train stations: Gospel Oak (0.2 miles), Kentish Town (0.5 miles), Kentish Town West (0.7 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

Much more down to earth on this visit. It was like a proper old man's drinking pub this afternoon and the Welton brew (some harvest name) went down well. It actually looked and felt like an old school pub today.
25 Nov 2011 17:59
I'd echo 'beershots' comments below. Its would be great to grab a table for the afternoon and evening and run thru the whole range of beers. The owners have got it right, great beer, great service...simple .
21 Nov 2011 17:38
Proper drinkers pub located a short walk form Kentish Town LU station, not very big inside and has a small outside seating/smoking area at back of pub.

Quality selection of real ale and cider, about 10 ales and 5 ciders, served in jugs with a handle and costing from £2.95 a pint.

All beers tried were excellent quality and the bar staff were knowledgeable and friendly.

Serves simple pub food, pork pies and roast pork baps etc, did not try the food but it was selling well and looked good.

Well worth a visit on a pub crawl.
18 Oct 2011 17:01

The Priory Tavern, Kilburn

picture of The Priory Tavern, Kilburn

Address: Belsize Road, London, NW6 4BT
Phone: 020 7209 0898
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Nearest tube stations: Kilburn Park (0.2 miles), West Hampstead (0.7 miles), Maida Vale (0.7 miles)


Nearest train stations: Kilburn High Road (0.1 miles), South Hampstead (0.6 miles), Queens Park - London (0.7 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

Having read the good reports about the Sunday Roast, I visited yesterday with a group of five friends. I'd like to echo the positive reveiws already posted before.
The roast served here is superb, friendly staff and the fact the pub was nearly empty adds to the relaxed atmosphere. I've given a high rating based purely on the Sunday afternoon/ meal experience. Knowing most of the pubs well in the area, this is my pick for Sundays.
10 Jan 2011 15:16
Looks grotty from the outside but that's deceptive. Nicely done out interior, friendly barman and an extra mark for the pint of Landlord coming in a glass with a handle. A real contrast to the grottiness of Kilburn High Road.
29 Dec 2010 09:09
Recently reopened and much improved - now easily the best pub in the area after the Black Lion.
27 Dec 2010 03:22

The Pineapple, Kentish Town

picture of The Pineapple, Kentish Town

Address: 51 Leverton Street, London, NW5 2NX
Phone: 020 7284 4631
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Nearest tube stations: Kentish Town (0.2 miles), Tuffnell Park (0.3 miles), Gospel Oak (0.6 miles)


Nearest train stations: Kentish Town (0.3 miles), Gospel Oak (0.6 miles), Kentish Town West (0.6 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

Very pleasent pub in a quiet sidestreet. You walk in and are presented with the locals at the bar with their backs to you. This isn't a good first impression but the rest of the pub is a pleasure. It hasn't got the range of beer that the nearby Southampton Arms offers, but during the recent cold weather I re-discovered the joy of a comfy seat in a warm pub with a good pint of Bass (I'm getting old!). There were four or five ales on and I get the impression the staff are proud of the beer they serve. Talking of the staff, I can see why previous reviewers might be critical of them. They are rather vague young hipsters and a bit slow, but very friendly. Round the back there is a large room where Thai food is served BUT this feels totally seperate and doesn't create that frustrating pub-trying-to-be-restaurant-and-forgetting-it's-a-pub atmosphere.
20 Feb 2011 18:28
We had appalling service at the pub a couple of weeks ago. Tried to order food, as usual the many bar staff couldn’t handle more than one customer, had no idea who was there first, two people got served in front if us, when they eventually acknowledged us, they served the person next to us as he was not ordering food, and the barman said we would be ages anyway. Needless to say we walked out and have not been back. Dont bother.
19 Jan 2011 13:01
A welcoming pub with a nice atmosphere and good thai food. PLenty of nooks and crannies to grab a seat in. Yet to have a bad pint here, and I've had a few. No complaint about the varied customer base. A good pub, and these should be cherished!
13 Jan 2011 18:25

The Holly Bush, Hampstead

picture of The Holly Bush, Hampstead

Address: 22, Holly Mount, London, NW3 6SG
Phone: 020 7435 2892
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Nearest tube stations: Hamsptead (0.1 miles), Finchley Road (0.8 miles), Finchley Road and Frognal (0.8 miles)


Nearest train stations: Finchley Road & Frognal (0.6 miles), Hampstead Heath (0.6 miles), West Hampstead (0.9 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

The photo is out of date (very old Benskins sign!). Can you please upload a photo with the new Fullers signage?
9 Feb 2011 17:43
Once a glorious pub serving good beer and reasonable food. Now really a restaurant and not a very good one either. Our food was over priced and not very nice and they got the order wrong. And the beer quality wasn't great - Harveys distinctly average and the Pride OK. Still it was packed, so it must be doing something right. But I won't be back in a hurry.
20 Jan 2011 21:39
Sorry, can't agree with you alebarry. They serve excellent ales in here - the usual Fullers ales and Butcombe!
13 Jan 2011 18:15

The Duke of Hamilton, Hampstead

picture of The Duke of Hamilton, Hampstead

Address: 23 New End, Hampstead, London, NW3 1JD
Phone: 020 7794 0258
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Nearest tube stations: Hamsptead (0.1 miles), Finchley Road (0.9 miles), Finchley Road and Frognal (0.9 miles)


Nearest train stations: Hampstead Heath (0.6 miles), Finchley Road & Frognal (0.7 miles), West Hampstead (1.1 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

Sounds good to me.

Sounds good to me.

Sounds good to me. lol
2 Feb 2011 12:11
Now been sold to the owners of "the Barnsbury" in Liverpool Rd who take over in January. Fod in cellar bar and on 1st floor but bar should stay the same following a refurb, Thats the story so far anyway!
24 Dec 2010 12:57
I once caught the barman here pouring the contents of the slops trays into my glass, though this was about 20 years ago; I vowed never to go again.

WIth the slops fiasco a distant memory, a recent visit has determined that despite being surrounded by wealth, this historic pub still remains resolutely downmarket and joyless with precious little to recommend it; now that the White Bear down the road is more restaurant than pub, head up the road to the Holly Bush and experience a real pub.
15 Dec 2010 05:38

The Adam and Eve, Mill Hill

Address: The Ridgeway, Mill Hill Village, London, NW7 1RL
Phone: 020 8959 1036
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Nearest tube station: Mill Hill East (0.7 miles)


Nearest train stations: Mill Hill Broadway (1.4 miles), Hendon (2.8 miles), Oakleigh Park (2.8 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

Six different ales, usual suspects including Old Speckled Hen, Abbotts, Doombar etc. Tried IPA at £3.40 a pint. It was well kept. Strange that for a place that advertises food to the fore front of all they do, that you can not get any type of bar snack or meal unless pre-booked. I was told they were too busy. There was only a sprinkling of people in the bar but the restaurant upstairs was heaving. We also found the wine to be a tad expensive for a not so generous a glass! Largely eastern european bar staff and lots of 'em! Quite a pleasant lot. Not my sort of pub, large open plan. On a Sunday lots of rugrats (4x4 types) Summed up? It's one for the 4x4 lot, which tends to be a fickle market but I accept if someone hadn't taken this pub on it would have closed. I have friends that have managed to eat here and they say the food quality is good. Wouldn't put someone off having the odd pint here.
16 Feb 2011 16:27
Flat capped working men, bicycle clips and whippets seem to have had their day and I'm afraid that cafe society is set to kill off all our pubs in time. Alas we can not halt the march of 'progress'.
12 Feb 2011 00:05
Called in soon after it had re-opened. Expensive, trendy, very large open spaces - far more of a bar-restaurant than a pub, so if that's what you want, you'll like it. I didn't. The beer was ok but not especially well kept, it should be a lot better for the price they charge.
2 Jan 2011 11:23

More information

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