Uk Barblog

The Grand Union (Kentish Town - London)

The Grand Union

A rather plush bar set into one of the most unlikely locations just a stone's throw from the Forum. This place is very expensive for its location at around £5 for a glass of wine and around £4 for a beer. The decor is alluring however, with not quite a romantic feel but a decident, vibrant plush indoor arrangement with a tall bar on the right and outside benches play host to the smokers. However there is no cider on tap. The place remains relatively quiet on a week night but has the space to accomodate a small group of people in one of the booths available and suits the upmarket drinkers who fancies themselves for a bit of class it what mightverge on a Gastro-pub.

Overall for a classy drink not too far from the station you could certainlydo a lot worse. I feel that despite the price this place offers comfort and quality, probably the closest bar to Kentish town tube of its kind and kept well that way - 7/10

The Winchester Pub & Hotel (Highgate - london)

The Winchester Pub & Hotel

Out of the blue this totally done up venture in Highgate really works to pull the best of small crowds in the area. A spray of tables outside allow you to sit with pint in hand only a breath away from the busy road and the place is lit up by large windows and a dominating wide, rounded bar which sits prominantly in the middle of the main room. Branching off of this is another few rooms at the back and up some stairs is presumabley the hotel. The bar attendants are attractive and friendly and at around £2.80 a pint it feels somewhat gastro-like but with a much more traditional interior. Classy and relaxed would be the best way to describe it.

Overall it is very relaxed and perfect for thaty midweek drink and at just a brisk walk from this station this gets an overall 7/10.

Rose and Crown (Highgate Village - London)

Rose and Crown

A medium to small wooden bar occupies this quiet spot in the village of Highgate. It is a simplicity of pub - like front, wood panelling interior with tiny bar and a small beer garden at the back. At night there is a half glow of candles and the striking red walls and leather couches make for a nice place to bring a date for relaxing drinks or a small meal. At £14 a bottle of wine this place feels a little expensive but then the price is reflected in the personality of the area. This place never gets over-crowded even on a friday night and with a slow tune in the air and even slower service at the bar you really have to be in the relaxed frame of mind to enjoy this.

Overall I cannot say I was expecting to be drinking in a place that looked like such a boozer from the front, it is a sly hand in a poker match that suddenly gives you two surprise pairs but little else, I'm not 40 years old yet and I don't really need a slow down like that at the peak of my weekend but good none-the-less; 6/10

The Angel Inn (Highgate Village - London)

The Angel Inn

A medium sized trendy pub in this exclusive quiet corner of north London. There is a plentiful selection of food and wines but the surprise was the large selection of continental beers, the bar is virtually littered with different shaped taps and pumps and the clientele are a mixture of middle aged well dressed individuals and the odd beer lover. Behind the bar there is a fish tank embedded in the back wall which adds a nice relaxing touch and although there are not a large number of places to sit it doesn't ever get too crowded. Easily the nicest bar in the area.

The only downside for me was the bar men who remained grumpy through my visit asking every individual young or old for ID and frowning at people that ordered anything which required a mixer. Despite the service the pub deserves a 7/10 rating.

Archway Tavern Music Hall (Archway- London)

Archway Tavern Music Hall

Behind the archway tavern is a music hall, you probably wouldn't know it was there unless you were specifically invited to a gig by some small local unsigned band so hence I ended up here. You pay for the entry on the door which is normally £5 and then inside to a long bar type of venue with dark lighting, a long bar and booths along the left wall right up to a small stage an small dance floor. The bar staff are cheerful and friendly but the drinks are well overpriced since the pub is so cheap looking at about £3 a pint and £7.50 for my traditional double-unhappy beverage (double vodka blue WKD in a pint glass). The place really felt a little underdressed for a venue and could do with redecorating.

Overall too expensive and rocky, should be done up a little to attract more people but otherwise pleasent with a fun crowd. 5/10

The Archway Tavern (Archway - London)

The Archway Tavern

Seemingly huge from outside this place is actually a pub split into a couple of other venues, opening at different times and on different days. This trip to the singlular front pub revealed it to be a very cheap nest very close to the tube station. In entry it feels like the pub has been dragged from an old style train station with a large clock as centre-piece and old wood finishings on a number of tables and a fairly small bar. Above you are wide screen tv's displaying the football and in front the bar is well stocked with Extra cold strongbow and shots at £1.30 each. The bar staff and punters are all friendly and the place really has a punky/rocky air to it. I even bumped into bald Phil, if you see him in there give him a "big up" from me!

Overall a very cheap little pub with a great location, would be awesome if bigger but this would impede its character. 7/10

The Lion (Archway - London)

The Lion

An all-male Irish hole in the side of another bigger building in Archway. Entering to the sound of bad 50's pop ballards is not half as bad as having your table taken from you while you are still occupying it by an old man with one eye. The bar staff are not particularly friendly if you don't have an Irish accent and the service is so slow that we had to wait for him to finish having a conversation before we got served, only then to notice that the poorly-stocked bar offered very little- be wary no aftershock stocked here. Turning from the bar I met with a wall of terrible paintings of men with farm animals. The prices were expensive but in its defence it did have a little bit of an atmosphere as a one man band took up playing in the corner of the room on this Saturday evening.

Despite the atmosphere it cannot hope to survive the future of bars that wouldn't dream to give such a poor level of customer satisfaction. Overall a 1/10 for this sorry pub.

The Drum and Monkey (Archway - London)

The Drum and Monkey

The Drum and Monkey probably has the most cvharacter out of every pub in the area- this doesn't explain however why it can be found virtually empty on a Saturday evening at 10pm. W eentered to the sound of trmpuet music and classical TV theme tunes to be served at a large rounded bar by a friendly bar man. There was plenty of seating including bar stools tables and sofas with booths with green flourescent underlighting. There are TVs on display as well presumabley for sports. It was around £2 for a pint and £2.90 for a vodka with mixer. I don't know what make it feel so characteristic but it didnt feel so much historical as other-worldy almost as though I had arrived here in the tardis.

Overall it was too quiet to merit very highly and therefore only gets a 3/10. My mate Beccy says however that this place deserves a 10, because it is just downright cool!

The Boston Arms (Tufnell Park - London)

The Boston Arms

The Boston arms is a large pub opposite Tufnell park station and it is overflowing with over 40's irish punters slapping thighs and banging glasses to the tunes of a seedy band playing classical songs that I am sure I have never heard before. To say the least I felt out of placebut found a table to the left of the bar and suddenly felt like i was sitting in an american diner. There were drawn blinds accross the windows and booth-like tables around me. I should say it was over crowded but it was loud and it did have a hearty atmosphere in the glow of the fruit machines around us. Drinks were about £1.20 a shot so there was no reason to complain about the price but the toilets were nasty and in a word it felt rather in-bred.

Overall it managed to stay open way past 3am which is impressive for a pub as large as thisbut i did feel out of place and therefore it gets a 4/10.

St. Johns (Archway - London)

St. Johns

Sitting on the high street between Tufnell Park and Archway tube stations this building and venue feels very much like an All Bar One in layout along with the baclkboards over the bar displaying the prices of wine but this bar has a restaurant at the back as well. It is expensive, perhaps more so that any other bar in the area at £3.50 for a small glass of wine and £2 for a shot of vodka but it is catered towards the middle-aged punter. Persons in their late twentys and thirties populate the various wooden tables equipped with strange lanterns sitting in old wine bottles. The background jazz music provides a nice and comfortable atmosphere in which to spend the evening and should you feel peckish there are indeed nuts and olives to order at the bar.

This moderately tredny bar does not over-do it and gets a comfortable 6/10. Towards the end of the evening it felt that the dodgy paintwork and loose wiring has been purposefully installed for effect but it truth it felt a little grimey. 

The Dome (Tufnell Park - London)

The Dome (Home of the Toony Loons Club) - Now Called The Boston Dome

The best place to go if your 16 and wanna get laid or at least party hard to bopping teeny rocker tunes from all eras. This place is an absolute classic I must have been 100 times before. I have heard it has lost its downstairs extension now and I here its popularity is declining. Perhaps because they are stricter with ID now. The Bar has all the drinks watered down. This music is amazing but theres no seating and its party up until 3am but they do play the same thing every week. The best saturday night around though.

Overall 8/10 because it just sounds so good!