BITE user comments - QueensParker
Comments by QueensParker
After years of steady decline due to mismanagement, the previous landlord has now returned and the improvement is immediate. Clientele has cleared up after the place attracted somewhat of a dodgy vibe and once again it attracts a very friendly and atmospheric bunch. Continental beer section back up to standard as well.
Great to see a pub which was once arguably the best in the area returning to what it was.
24 May 2015 13:24
Rough Irish place, but without the charm of most other Kilburn joints. Not the friendliest pub, full range of bog standard lagers and Guinness and horse racing on the go all day.
23 Oct 2014 12:35
Mainly Irish and regulars but fairly atmospheric and friendly. Not particularly rough as many of these pubs in NW London can be.
Probably the best in the area
6 May 2014 09:06
It's a rough Irish pub in Finsbury Park full of hardened working class drinkers, half of which are watching the horse racing and the other half simply sit looking glumly at their pints. The décor is spartan, the service is matter of fact, the quality of the fosters was poor and one is led to concede that perhaps chain pubs are not such a bad thing after all...
...one half expects to see a down and out author writing his great novel in the corner but that would be romanticising the issue entirely.
2/10
2 May 2014 05:06
Fantastic backstreet boozer.
Was there for the free quiz night on Monday which was very enjoyable, the charismatic Irish landlord created a fantastic atmosphere and clearly it is a favourite among locals, who were just as friendly. These kind of old school, regulars joints are sometimes depressing but this place has a very welcoming, humoured atmosphere indeed. A very reasonable food selection was also offered to quiz participants.
Guinness was well kept and they had real ale on tap too.
Celtic memorabilia cover the walls but I would not describe this as an Irish pub as such.
8/10, probably the best pub on that side of Camden Town.
2 May 2014 04:51
A throwback to a bygone era when pubs where places to catch up over a few pints with neighbours and old friends. Having said that, the pub is very inviting to strangers and the regulars appreciate newcomers who can raise a chuckle or two. Football is a popular conversation topic and most of the regulars are Arsenal fans, but all are welcome(several regulars are also Spurs fans).
Barstaff very friendly and hospitable. Good selection of beers.
Pubs like this are a rare breed these days.
5 Feb 2014 08:21
Usually empty but vaguely trendy. Seeks to fill a gap in the market for an after-work bars for professionals that simply doesnt exist in Cricklewood.
6 Nov 2013 05:15
Absolute shithole, no other word to describe this hole. Even for an Irish pub in Cricklewood, there are some rough regulars in here. Eyeballing of anyone vaguely atypical is guaranteed, and even though the average age of the punters must be 70, I wouldnt fancy my chances if any took offence. and the barman can only be described as an aggressive oaf. Toilets disgusting.
I'm told that this dump is open round the clock and can be accessed via a back door. As if 12 hours a day wasn't enough.
I only managed to finish half of my disgusting lager before fleeing for the nearest generic, safe gastropub I could find, in Hampstead.
0/10
6 Nov 2013 05:13
The North London Tavern, Kilburn
Gastropub that is absolutely rammed with young professionals come 6am. Nice outside seating area to take in the buzzing metropolis that is Kilburn High Road.
No reason to seek this place out, although it's by far the classiest joint in the area.
6 Nov 2013 05:04
Music venue/bar in an area (in)famous for rough pubs. Free jukebox. Open very late, 4am on weekends. Nice crowd and atmosphere, staff so-so. Also had some decent ales.
6 Nov 2013 05:02
It's a bar.
It's open late.
It shows sports.
Not a trendy or fashionable joint but it's somewhere you can depend on a night cap come kicking out time at nearby pubs.
6 Nov 2013 04:58
Used to be full of old Irish guys steadily drinking Guinness and Rastas drinking cans of red stripe bought from the offie across the road. Less interesting than it sounds, but exactly as dodgy. Local council estates were another dependable pool of regulars. Location doesn't do it many favours, little in the way of passing trade so often empty.
6 Nov 2013 04:55
Genuine Arsenal pub, probably the best place for post match boozing and singing. Bit rough round the edges clientèle but a loveable bunch all the same.
Dead on non-match days
6 Nov 2013 04:51
Metro Bar and Canteen, Holloway
Has the character of an airport bar, but without the comfort of knowing you'll soon be flying away from it soon. Expensive, poor beer selection, zero atmosphere, sterile staff. Why would anyone come here?
2/10
6 Nov 2013 04:48
A huge 'spoons, converted cinema, on Holloway Road so best to judge it for what it is. Range of beers very impressive and reasonably priced and place perfectly clean and friendly. But attracts some dodgy characters, 10am alcoholics etc, and not the kind of place you'd come to sit around taking in the atmosphere.
Not bad for a spoons is the kindest I can say.
2 Nov 2013 21:29
Nice bar this. Always seems to attract an interesting cross section of 20/30 somethings who aren't over pretentious compared with most Angel joints. Music is pretty mixed but not over bearing and the barstaff are always friendly too. Good selection of beers.
8/10
19 Oct 2013 10:01
An excellent, traditional boozer attracting a good bunch of regulars which makes for a good atmosphere. Since its on a backstreet you avoid most of the passing Kings Cross trade but quite a few more choosy commuters do make up the numbers.
Landlord was a friendly old fella as well.
19 Oct 2013 09:57
Sam Smiths pub heavily wooden inside. On a recent midday visit an obese Alcoholic Australian rambled on to anyone who would listen, an 80 year old who looked like a communist intellectual stood smartly at the bar nursing ale and a bunch of German tourists read a map in the corner.
So not sure what to make of this place, certainly seems to attract more regulars than you'd expect for the area. Tourists are omnipresent of course. The bar staff were very friendly here too. It's quite dark inside so a nice place to escape for an hour or two perhaps.
19 Oct 2013 09:51
The Brewmaster, Leicester Square
Everything you expect from a Leicester Square pub. Full of Japanese tourists taking photos of their plate of £14 fish and chips. Naturally it gets unbearably crowded quickly and the beer is badly kept. Bar staff are efficient.
No reason for anyone from London to visit except as a convenient meeting spot for the tube station etc
19 Oct 2013 09:44
A pub/bar of the Hampstead variety. Full of right thinking Guardian reading men who resemble Chris Martin from Coldplay and couples who tell themselves that they live in Queen's Park because it's edgy when in fact they've simply been priced out of Primrose Hill. £4.50 for a pint of Bitburger(think I saw a poster of Che Guevara on the wall...) they have some decent ales on tap.
19 Oct 2013 09:33
Concur with the other comments, a place for watching football. Somewhat contrived Irish pub in an area that is full of 'authentic' Irish joints which seems odd. Huge inside which makes it seem even less busy than it is when there's no football on. Expensive.
19 Oct 2013 09:27
As close to a Prague beerhall as you could hope to find in London, it is primarily a non-pretentious gathering place for expats. This is not a contrived hipster affair, this ensures a nice atmosphere and one quickly forgets you are actually sitting in West Hampstead as the sound of drunken Czech fills the air. However, the bar staff are most welcoming to English speakers(the barman once told me that they're proud that we would choose to visit) which is pleasant as these kind of national bars are typically rather suspicious of English visitors.
They serve Pilsner Urquell and Budvar on tap at £3 per half litre, with a reasonable selection of other top Czech beers on bottle. The food menu is typically Czech and reasonably priced, the quality is so-so however.
Very easy to miss this place as it is literally a converted house, however they have made the most of the interior with the various Czech/Slovak retro materials on the walls. The architecture is somewhat dated and there is a definite retro feel to the place. They also have a very spacious beer garden.
Recommended.
19 Oct 2013 09:20
Stunning exterior to this boozer. Visited on a relatively quiet Thursday night when one bunch of regulars were happily chatting about a recent Arsenal match whilst another had a humorous debate on the merits of Margate over Alicante. Definite regulars place given its back street location but the friendly Irish landlord makes an effort to make everyone welcome. Good selection of ales, which were very well kept. The interior is dark and largely oak but this adds to the back street feel of the place.
8/10
10 Oct 2013 01:17
Sam Smiths joint heavy on the wood fittings on the inside. Not as tourist heavy as you would expect and a good place for a quiet pint and chat after work etc.
7 Oct 2013 02:52
The Porterhouse, Covent Garden
Gigantic craft beer pub serving a mixture of tourists and after work drinkers mainly. Good selection of bottled beers, albeit pricey, and a great place to bring a large group of people given its size. Huge smoking area/beer garden outside. Staff friendly and efficient although this is a hugely popular pub so waiting times can be long even with the 3/4 bar areas they have.
7 Oct 2013 02:50
Unfortunately names bar which is actually perfectly presentable inside. Good selection of beers and a nice seated area, including an upstairs section, although it gets crowded come 5pm. Given that this is the strand you will not expect to find any kind of traditional pub atmosphere but it is pleasant enough for what it is. Staff friendly and efficient.
7 Oct 2013 02:46
My go to place in Munich. Whether in the beer garden in the summer or in the keller come winter the atmosphere is very Bavarian due to being away from the standard tourist trail somewhat. Augustiner is an outstanding beer and served from wooden barrels here to boot, perfection.
7 Oct 2013 02:43
Not a bad pub at all. Plenty of room to sit, good selection of beers, efficient/friendly staff. Long and narrow on the inside although the fittings are perfectly nice.
7 Oct 2013 02:41
Student night club playing your basic club music. Very nice seating area however although the dancefloor is on the small side. Once saw a vicious fist fight started by some drunken idiot but the bouncers dealt with it
7 Oct 2013 02:38
Relatively cramped boozer that does what it says on the tin, hard to get a seat due to its location but the turnover of punters is high. Rather soulless. Friend of mine was short-changed a fiver by the barman who made up the difference without so much as an word of apology, on another occasion the manager was rather rude to me.
Better pubs in the immediate area.
7 Oct 2013 02:36
The Shakespeare's Head, Holborn
Huge spoons full of after work drinkers and tourists. Staff efficient.
7 Oct 2013 02:32
Pretty horrific bar/club full of Northern stag dos etc and tourists. No soul etc.
On the other hand I've been during the day and the quality of the beer was perfect.
7 Oct 2013 02:30
Roadtrip Bar and Deli, Old Street
It's a relatively down to earth late night bar. Strict door policy ensures a good gender mixture and as a result there's plenty of action on the dancefloor. Not the best place in the area but very far from the worst.
7 Oct 2013 02:27
A theatre is attached to this pub and as a result even for Upper St, artistic liberal types are almost omnipresent. However the pub generates a good atmosphere without becoming noisy. The fittings are somewhat chic, a Victorian till stands on the bar, and red velvet predominate accompanied by a cosy open fire. The staff have always been an agreeable bunch on my visits, perfectly happy to chat with customers. The beer selection is impressive with a good selection of ales and continentals, although the quality is nothing above average.
Probably the vest pub on Upper St.
7 Oct 2013 02:20
This does not feel like a central London pub, but more like a suburban village pub. Inside it is rather cozy, the staff are more than pleasant and as a result the typical customer are pensioner couples sipping gin and tonics politely. I expected the local vicar to arrive at any moment for a half pint of mild. So this is not a pub with alot of action, I imagine it rarely if ever gets busy. But it is an oasis of tranquillity, serving good quality pints of reasonably priced beer for the area.
7 Oct 2013 02:12
It's a pretentious bar full of yuppies and their dates. Had some interesting continental beers on tap on my visit but I also parted with nearly a fiver. It gets of limited size and without a seat quickly becomes uncomfortable, unfortunately the atmosphere does not benefit.
7 Oct 2013 02:06
Half finished pints litter the bar, testament to punters hastily leaving to catch their train over the road. Apart from commuters, the Globe mainly serves tourists except for when their is a game at Wembley when bevied up fans flock here before jumping on the train. The beer selection is typical of central pubs and needless to say expensive.
4/10
7 Oct 2013 02:02
The Metropolitan, Westbourne Park
Gastropub with a good beer selection. Nothing remarkable and fine if you're in the area.
6 Oct 2013 04:39
Great location, worth coming for the view alone. Otherwise little to remark, perfectly acceptable service and punters.
This pub was on the beginning titles of 'Minder'...
6 Oct 2013 04:38
Angies Freehouse II, Westbourne Park
Hidden little Irish pub with a nice atmosphere and welcoming landlord. Watched the footie here in perfect happiness and would return if in the area.
6 Oct 2013 04:36
Pretty much the only pub in the area, and a poor one at that. Completely soulless atmosphere and disinterested bar staff. Gets busy with passing trade come 5pm but absolutely nothing to justify a visit. Better pubs in Paddington if you're in the area generally.
6 Oct 2013 04:34
This is a beer pub. You come here to enjoy the excellent beers knowing full well they will be 5 quid a pop. Friendly barmen on my visits who were perhaps slightly dismissive of those less-informed on beer.
Personally I would just go to their sister off licence, Utobeer, in Borough market and buy the beers you wish to try there cheaper and drink at home. Little atmosphere here in fairness unless you want to discuss beer with other anoraks.
6 Oct 2013 04:32
Full of bevied up ozzies in tank tops kicking seven shades out of each other. Why would anyone else come here?
6 Oct 2013 04:29
The White Horse, Shepherds Bush
No nonsense pub which is probably the best in SB. Real regulars feel with working class punters and characters from all walks of life who are happy to have a laugh with non-regulars. Geordie landlord is direct but treats everyone with respect. Furniture is extremely dated(circa 1981) but adds to the character of the pub. Horse racing is all the rage during the day, ladbrokes slips can be obtained from behind the bar, but doesn't dominate. Beer is cheap and the guinness has always been top notch on my visits. Nice beer garden.
The kind of pub where you half expect Arthur Daley to walk through the doors at any minute.
6 Oct 2013 04:26
What I imagine a dive bar in Bucharest is like.
2/10 purely for the bizarreness of it all.
6 Oct 2013 04:15
Historic pub with a unique interior. Best in the area for after work drinks by far or to pass an hour or two in peace.
Sam Smiths with everything that brings of course.
6 Oct 2013 04:10
The Pitcher and Piano, Holborn
As far as I know, nobody would chose to come here. Seems to be entirely booked groups and after work drinkers. Souless and expensive, everything that's wrong with C.london 'pubs'.
6 Oct 2013 04:07
Could be worse tbh. Gastropub that exists entirely for tourists and after work drinks but not particularly horrible to spend a quiet hour here.
6 Oct 2013 04:05
Metropolitan Bar, Baker Street
Large weatherspoons that is surprisingly OK. Full of pre-drinking 20 somethings at the weekend pub perfectly fine place to come for a swift half. Given its central location, very few of the scumbags you oft find in 'spoons. Toilets immaculate.
6 Oct 2013 04:04
Nice gastropub with a good/interesting beer selection, both lagers and ales, and a relaxed atmosphere. Plenty of tourists naturally but they blend in fine. Piano in the corner than an old Cockney geezer comes in to play from time to time for half pints of bitter which I find nice and quaint.
Becomes more lively nearer closing time but never any trouble or anything. Would classify this as a pub for a dinner-date more than anything or somewhere for a few pints after the cricket etc.
6 Oct 2013 04:00
Pikey central innit. Add in a dash of bevied up Eastern Europeans who aren't shy about flexing a bit of muscle and you're one misplaced but of eye contact away from a trip down Golders Gr Road to the Royal Free.
Not even cheap. Even for Hendon, this place is terrible.
6 Oct 2013 03:56
Good place to escape London for a few hours. Quiet atmosphere and some great beers on tap. Attractive interior/exterior is a bonus.
6 Oct 2013 03:53
Staff here are very friendly indeed. Had a real laugh with the barstaff and they actually returned my phone to me which I lost here so cant complain in this regard.
Beer selection excellent. Hacker-Pschorr on tap which was a pleasant surprise and what looked like a very respectable bottled selection too.
6 Oct 2013 03:45
Rough round the edges pub frequented during the day by heavy drinking Irish pensioners watching the Horse racing. Busy at the weekends when a monumental piss up takes place to the sound of the Pogues. You will always find oddballs in these kinds of pubs too but they are mainly harmless.
Fine to pop in to watch the footie or pass the time of day with the regulars over a cheap pint
6 Oct 2013 03:38
Extremely Irish even for Kilburn. Heavy focus on Gaelic football and construction workers discussing their jobs. Doubt there was anyone of non-Irish decent other than myself in there. Interior is basic Oirish fare. Extremely heaving drinking is omnipresent. Needless to say no real ales.
6 Oct 2013 03:31
This is your stereotypical Kilburn Irish boozer, it ticks every box. The punters are mainly a friendly bunch, standing round the bar and waxing lyrically about what you would expect older working class men to talk about. There's a nice atmosphere to Coopers, doesn't feel like you're on the High Road at all.
Certainly the place I make a beeline for when in Kilburn.
6 Oct 2013 03:27
The Swimmer at The Grafton Arms, Holloway
Gastro-central full of your typical pretentious Guardian reading Islingtoner. I will say that the food here looks top quality and they actually have an interesting beer selection(the excellent rothaus tannenzäpfle is on tap for example).
I remember the Grafton from the 80s when it was a fantastic, traditional boozer full of characters from all walks of life. These days anyone who doesnt look like they could be elected as a Green Party M.P will be treated with, at best, passive aggressive suspicion.
6 Oct 2013 03:20
This pub is dodgy. Full of 'geezers' in and out of the toilet with rolled up 5 pound notes and aggressively shouting across the bar at each other.
In fairness there is also a contingent of perfectly respectful old Irish fellas drinking themselves into a stupor but perfectly peacefully also. Plenty of lonely guys sitting round the bar trying to pass the day.
Busy when Arsenal play obviously.
6 Oct 2013 03:08
Excellent traditional little pub full of regulars and an obliging owner. Pool table and an attractive interior. Nice little beer garden too.
Busy when the Arsenal are playing.
6 Oct 2013 03:04
This is one of the few traditional pubs in the area. Pool table and dart board are very busy and the regulars are in general a nice bunch. They have real ales and for the area its not too expensive.
Have seen a few wronguns in here from time to time and the staff do not seem particularly motivated to move them on. Saw one plenty of threatening behaviour in here and the staff have actually asked the innocent party to leave purely to avoid confronting the guilty party. No way to run a pub.
6 Oct 2013 03:01
The Central Bar, Shepherds Bush
Full of chavs and old alcoholics. Everything else you expect from weatherspoons although it has a nice view of Bush Green
6 Oct 2013 02:56
Smashing traditional North London boozer that doesn't try to be anything else. Plenty of regulars, slightly cliquey, as off the beaten track. Very few tourists at all, rare for Camden. Good place to play pool and they have a good jukebox which is always on the go blasting out the Jam, Madness and the Pogues. Friendly bar staff and excellent for catching the footie.
Arguably the best boozer in Camden.
6 Oct 2013 02:54
Tourist pub during the day. Open relatively late, although definitely not the latest in Camden, and seems to be full of talkative loner types come 1am. Seems to mop up the afters from the Elephants Head and other earlier closing joints so heaving late night. No real enjoyment drinking here at that stage unless already drunk but during the day OK to have a quiet pint.
6 Oct 2013 02:50
Very hard to get your bearings in this pub, the beer garden is almost as big as the bar. Very much a pub that survives on passing trade/tourists with little atmosphere. Few ales, nothing out of this world plus the continentals. Staff reasonably friendly.
Precisely 2 reasons for coming here: 1) Use the best smoking area in Camden 2)Watch the footie, they show Continental games too.
6 Oct 2013 02:45
Obviously famous for its music credentials and if you're into that kind of thing, it does hold good gig nights I'm told. Otherwise, this is a very good pub with a traditional London feel to the interior. Plenty of punk types and tourists but still friendly all the same with very nice staff. Open late.
6 Oct 2013 02:42
Dodgy joint, very dodgy. The interior has that dive bar character, but unlike your conceived hipster dive this is actually the result of not investing a penny into the fittings since about 1987.
This pub features a pool table and a palpable sense of violence lingers with eyeballing guaranteed. Expect 'Begbie' from trainspotting to enter at any minute.
6 Oct 2013 02:39
Nice traditional pub. Definite Irish character and clientel but it has an old school atmosphere. Friendly staff and regulars who are up for a bit of banter and a good place to watch the footie, Celtic in particular I gather.
6 Oct 2013 02:34
More of a 'bar' than a pub in fairness, pub they pull it off fairly well. Obligatory hipster bar staff who stand around updating their twitter pages on their Iphones. Beer selection is what you would expect, continentals and a good real ale selection(served in a dimpled glass actually), they have some strange beers like Samuel Adams on tap but this is more of a whiskey and coke place tbf.
Pretty dead from until around 9pm when it fills up and in fairness the atmosphere is decent. Good tunes and a nice place to pick up American tourists come 1am.
6 Oct 2013 02:31
Huge soulless pub serving mainly tourists and pre-gig drinkers. No reason to visit otherwise.
6 Oct 2013 02:26
Old man's Irish pub. Staff not particularly welcoming and the full selection of macro lagers at recession prices.
Watched the footie here and that's about the only way to enjoy yourself here.
6 Oct 2013 02:24
The Moon Under Water, Colindale
Bog standard Weatherspoons. Full of old Irish alcoholics sipping pints, Eastern Europeans on a bindge with the obligatory sprinkling of bevied up teens. Absolutely no reason to visit except for the real ale, only pub in Colindale that sells, or the price.
6 Oct 2013 02:22
Quinn's is just about the best pub in the Camden Town area. It manages that rare thing, being non pretentious and down to earth, attracting a good bunch of regulars but also offering the best of more upmarket pubs. Rather large interior which looks like a Dublin pub more than a London pub, although few of the punters are Irish.
The continental beer selection was once famous all over London but in recent years has become hit and miss. Their Belgian selections are still top notch but nowadays you will only find at most 7 Germans, albeit good ones, whereas 5 years ago it would be 20. A number of real ales on tap, although I have heard complaints about the quality. This is not a real ale pub in fairness.
The staff have a reputation for being rude at times and I have to say that I have seen this quite a few times. The Blonde son of the owners does not appreciate uninvited banter is all I will say. However they are a good bunch and make a genuine effort to get to know all of the regulars. One upshot of course is that they will not tolerate troublemakers and will simply refuse to serve these types which is something very rare in Camden.
Quinn's is open very late on occasion on weekends, although there does not seem to be a set time and seems as likely to close at 12:30am as 4am.
6 Oct 2013 02:18
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The Angel, Angel, Islington
One of the better 'Spoons in London. Real ales well kept and staff friendly and efficient.
24 May 2015 13:25