Just about managing to count as 'pub'. Just. Not much change from a fiver for a pint of keg Speckled Hen. The most notable thing was the gorgeous girl sat at the next table moaning about men. Popular with the tourists and Roundhousers I suppose.
Made it
Pub 273. Made in Camden, 29th June 2013.
Just about managing to count as 'pub'. Just. Not much change from a fiver for a pint of keg Speckled Hen. The most notable thing was the gorgeous girl sat at the next table moaning about men. Popular with the tourists and Roundhousers I suppose.
Just about managing to count as 'pub'. Just. Not much change from a fiver for a pint of keg Speckled Hen. The most notable thing was the gorgeous girl sat at the next table moaning about men. Popular with the tourists and Roundhousers I suppose.
In the smoke.
Pub 272. One Sixty, 23rd June.
The last time I was passing here this was a sushi place. Not my cup of tea at all. Not it looks like a pub, and it basically is. But it's also a smokehouse. Sadly for quietly enjoying a puff of your mellow tasting bacca pipe, but something to do with cooking meat or something 160 degs F is apparently the temperature to cook meat at, rather than the address.
The large photos of brewery kit on the wall and array of hand-pumps made me think that some tasty ales were going to be on offer - perhaps brewed on-site?! But no, it's not their brewery and they have no ale on yet. But they've not been open long so I'm sure they will have at some point.
One odd thing happened though... apart from family dining out the back there was only one other person in apart from me. A minute after sitting down a waiter came over to me with some a corn-on-the-cob in a bowl. "For you?" he said. "Nope... not me" I said. And so he wandered back past the other the chap towards the counter area for a discussion about who the corny nosh was for. He put it down, wandered off. Came back, came towards me again when the other chap, presumably quite peckish by then asked "Is that mine?", "Oh yes" said the waiter. "Enjoy!". Why didn't he just ask the other fellow at first?
Oh well. Good luck to them. I can't stand sushi! And new pub selling good ale, no matter how chic or smokey is to be welcomed. And there's a free kitchen roll on every table - everywhere that sells food should do this.
The last time I was passing here this was a sushi place. Not my cup of tea at all. Not it looks like a pub, and it basically is. But it's also a smokehouse. Sadly for quietly enjoying a puff of your mellow tasting bacca pipe, but something to do with cooking meat or something 160 degs F is apparently the temperature to cook meat at, rather than the address.
The large photos of brewery kit on the wall and array of hand-pumps made me think that some tasty ales were going to be on offer - perhaps brewed on-site?! But no, it's not their brewery and they have no ale on yet. But they've not been open long so I'm sure they will have at some point.
One odd thing happened though... apart from family dining out the back there was only one other person in apart from me. A minute after sitting down a waiter came over to me with some a corn-on-the-cob in a bowl. "For you?" he said. "Nope... not me" I said. And so he wandered back past the other the chap towards the counter area for a discussion about who the corny nosh was for. He put it down, wandered off. Came back, came towards me again when the other chap, presumably quite peckish by then asked "Is that mine?", "Oh yes" said the waiter. "Enjoy!". Why didn't he just ask the other fellow at first?
Oh well. Good luck to them. I can't stand sushi! And new pub selling good ale, no matter how chic or smokey is to be welcomed. And there's a free kitchen roll on every table - everywhere that sells food should do this.
Brocca roll.
Pub 271. La Brocca, 23rd June 2014.
I had to take a long hard look at this one to figure out if it could possibly count as a pub or not, looking as it does some kind of euro-cafe. Italian I guess. There's so many flags adorning place at the moment its hard to tell. In fact, I thought I'd better ponder it over a drink.
It was a warm day and the West End Lane is never that nice on any day, so a the cool quiet inside was a nice break. Lager only but it was refreshing enough.
With the restuarant downstairs and a few afternoon boozers inside, at the bar and outside I guess it just about counts. And it's not really that unpleasant if you're passing.
I had to take a long hard look at this one to figure out if it could possibly count as a pub or not, looking as it does some kind of euro-cafe. Italian I guess. There's so many flags adorning place at the moment its hard to tell. In fact, I thought I'd better ponder it over a drink.
It was a warm day and the West End Lane is never that nice on any day, so a the cool quiet inside was a nice break. Lager only but it was refreshing enough.
With the restuarant downstairs and a few afternoon boozers inside, at the bar and outside I guess it just about counts. And it's not really that unpleasant if you're passing.
Cube bye
Pub 270. The Cube Bar.
I went in here once ages back and it was all 90s designer chic and whatever lager was trendy at the time. Apparently it was a bank before that and I'm sure it had more charm when it turning down overdrafts than preparing drunken oafs for a Saturday night punch-up.
The designers are very proud of the interior though. I don't hear much about it being missed.
I went in here once ages back and it was all 90s designer chic and whatever lager was trendy at the time. Apparently it was a bank before that and I'm sure it had more charm when it turning down overdrafts than preparing drunken oafs for a Saturday night punch-up.
The designers are very proud of the interior though. I don't hear much about it being missed.
Cu-bar
Pub 269. The Cuban, 8th June 2014.
Another one that on the face of it you'd think can't possibly count as a pub... but once you're in you have to accept that it is. Sort of. And that's enough.
And it's quite pleasant in a lagery, touristy kinda way. It would be really really nice if it had ales on and nicer music and wasn't pretending to be something it's not, ie. a corner of Cuba.
What would be nice is if they made more of the building's history as stables for the 100s of horses that used ply their trade round here. And what little quirks like this hole in the wall are for.
But why would the tourists care?? They just want to come to London and then pretend they're somewhere else.
Another one that on the face of it you'd think can't possibly count as a pub... but once you're in you have to accept that it is. Sort of. And that's enough.
And it's quite pleasant in a lagery, touristy kinda way. It would be really really nice if it had ales on and nicer music and wasn't pretending to be something it's not, ie. a corner of Cuba.
What would be nice is if they made more of the building's history as stables for the 100s of horses that used ply their trade round here. And what little quirks like this hole in the wall are for.
But why would the tourists care?? They just want to come to London and then pretend they're somewhere else.
Coco-nutters
Pub 268. Coco Bamboo, 9th June 2014.
Is it a pub? Or isn't it? What is a pub? When does a pub become a bar and is a bar the same as a pub?! If it serves the same purpose and provides the same service as a pub is it basically a pub? What if you changed the name to The Old King's Head, put Tetley's on and stuck a dartboard in - then does a bar become a pub? These are questions I've pondered over a lot... and there's no real easy answer. What is a pub is a grey area. A "proper pub" or "old man's pub" or "back street boozer" are all pretty obvious and usually what people mean, but it's not that easy. According to me.
In Camden Town there's many bars where you can go and get a drink and for whom providing drink is their main business, ie. not food, not music, not a hotel, not a leisure centre, etc. etc., just a like a pub does. But most of them are still clearly not anything like pubs, however you define it. I'm thinking of places like Solo, Bar Gansa, Made in Brasil, Bar Vinyl, Proud (which today had run out of beer - the ultimate pub sin!), Spiritual (complete with moody look from the barmaid inside) and the Tunnel Bar, all of which have taken my dollar in the past incidentally - and Silk Bar which hasn't - but although worth a mention as "establishments to have a drink" they cannot really feature in the list of Camden pubs. I'm sure there's others too. And indeed some may argue that some of the places in this compendium are not pubs, but it's my game and my rules. Anyways...
But one or two just manage to sneak into the very outskirts of the grey area that is what-makes-a-pub, and one is Coco Bamboo. Strictly for tourists, two choices of lager and endless mojitos and a chap playing flamenco style guitar. Not my cup of tea, but all rather pleasant a hot summer's day.
In Camden Town there's many bars where you can go and get a drink and for whom providing drink is their main business, ie. not food, not music, not a hotel, not a leisure centre, etc. etc., just a like a pub does. But most of them are still clearly not anything like pubs, however you define it. I'm thinking of places like Solo, Bar Gansa, Made in Brasil, Bar Vinyl, Proud (which today had run out of beer - the ultimate pub sin!), Spiritual (complete with moody look from the barmaid inside) and the Tunnel Bar, all of which have taken my dollar in the past incidentally - and Silk Bar which hasn't - but although worth a mention as "establishments to have a drink" they cannot really feature in the list of Camden pubs. I'm sure there's others too. And indeed some may argue that some of the places in this compendium are not pubs, but it's my game and my rules. Anyways...
But one or two just manage to sneak into the very outskirts of the grey area that is what-makes-a-pub, and one is Coco Bamboo. Strictly for tourists, two choices of lager and endless mojitos and a chap playing flamenco style guitar. Not my cup of tea, but all rather pleasant a hot summer's day.
The magic has gone
Pub 267. Potion.
2015 update: It's re-opened. Actually it re-opened a few weeks ago but I've only just dared (well, bothered) go in now. It looks more enticing than Potion did, but Potion never looked all that enticing.
It's a Simmons, and they've branded it like a fun-fair unlike the urban chic of it's Camden Town sister. Which I suppose I'll have to visit too. Save that treat for another day.
And with its mismatched furniture, wacky lamps, pointless snooker scoreboard... traffic lights?? etc., it sure looks like fun.
No ale, but the Meantime pump tells you exactly where you are. It doesn't tell how much it costs though, which £2.60 a half. I later found out they had bottles of Pride.
I got chatting to lovely young ladies, which is worth mentioning because it doesn't happen often. I showed them how to type on the antique novelty typewriter on the bar.
Downstairs is another bar, and intriguingly behind a secret passage! Or next door's cellar.
Sadly never got a chance to go in here. Well, I did but everytime I looked in it looked so awful I put help but put it off for another day. Black, barren and cold looking - I guess they'd call it stylish - all they offered were lagers and cocktails. I'm sure it was better when it was the Yorkshire Grey, and who knows - may be it will re-open as a proper pub again one day. But as the downstairs is full of slum-landlord style beds and chests-of-drawers at the moment, that doesn't look good. Then a large hand at the end of a hi-viz sleeve appeared from nowhere and covered up the hole in the whitewash I was peering through. Magic!
2015 update: It's re-opened. Actually it re-opened a few weeks ago but I've only just dared (well, bothered) go in now. It looks more enticing than Potion did, but Potion never looked all that enticing.
It's a Simmons, and they've branded it like a fun-fair unlike the urban chic of it's Camden Town sister. Which I suppose I'll have to visit too. Save that treat for another day.
And with its mismatched furniture, wacky lamps, pointless snooker scoreboard... traffic lights?? etc., it sure looks like fun.
No ale, but the Meantime pump tells you exactly where you are. It doesn't tell how much it costs though, which £2.60 a half. I later found out they had bottles of Pride.
I got chatting to lovely young ladies, which is worth mentioning because it doesn't happen often. I showed them how to type on the antique novelty typewriter on the bar.
Downstairs is another bar, and intriguingly behind a secret passage! Or next door's cellar.
Powerless
Pub 266. Power's Bar, 3rd June 2014.
Used to have some cracking nights here back in the late 90s when I lived not too far away. It was the one of the 'cool' places, dark and quirky, and bands on and not at all like all the other real boozers round about. Just what us cool 20-somethings were after. I don't think I'd like it now though.
But no matter anyways, as it's shut. For good it seems - as is explained here. Sort of.
Used to have some cracking nights here back in the late 90s when I lived not too far away. It was the one of the 'cool' places, dark and quirky, and bands on and not at all like all the other real boozers round about. Just what us cool 20-somethings were after. I don't think I'd like it now though.
But no matter anyways, as it's shut. For good it seems - as is explained here. Sort of.
Brondes medal
Pub 265. The Brondes Age, 3rd June 2014.
When you say "Brondesbury" you do indeed pronounce it "Bronze-bree" but when presented with the word "brondes" I would pronounce it "brondess", so it took me while to figure out the punning title of this pub. And a more random and feeble pun I've not heard in any Camden pub name.
What a funny place. Looks like an old petrol station at first. But apparently it's a parade of old shops knocked into one. And inside it's a combo of club/diner/bar, and seems very foreign... something American about it. Looking an ale on offer lead to a predictable disappointment so I had the Guinness.
When you say "Brondesbury" you do indeed pronounce it "Bronze-bree" but when presented with the word "brondes" I would pronounce it "brondess", so it took me while to figure out the punning title of this pub. And a more random and feeble pun I've not heard in any Camden pub name.
What a funny place. Looks like an old petrol station at first. But apparently it's a parade of old shops knocked into one. And inside it's a combo of club/diner/bar, and seems very foreign... something American about it. Looking an ale on offer lead to a predictable disappointment so I had the Guinness.
The bar staff were busy entertaining themselves and the odd hanger-on at the end of the bar. But one nice thing... the doors were wide open and the smell from the smokers was drifting in, making it smell like pubs used to. Didn't seem much else like a pub though.
Black beauty
Pub 264. The Black Lion, 3rd June 2014.
Like other pubs on Kilburn High Road I hadn't been in here since I lived round here some 15 years ago or so. And back then I remember it being a huge old gin palace, with much fading beauty and a lovely ceiling.
Well, now the beauty has unfaded, and the ceiling is as lovely as ever. And it's still big, but it feels very empty, with the large sofas taking up far too much room and being impractical as ever.
The wood I'm sure can be called sumptuous, and unsurprisingly it's listed.
But the downside is it's a bit cool. A "best Sunday roast in town" kind of pub. No ale on, in fact only two draft pumps. One Camden lager, and the other anonymous one was Guinness. When I asked I was told as if I should have known. The barmaid wasn't even surprised at my surprised when I was told this huge bar only had room for two pumps. Apparently, as I read later, it's because of some fall-out with the brewery / pubco over the beer tie. So good for them!
It is indeed a beautiful pub, but I don't think I'll be rushing back. The numerous upside-down lampshades in the windows tell you how super-trendy they are here. One thing amused me though, who-ever put up the relief of the locals of old taking the waters from the Kilburn Wells had possible been taking something a little stronger himself!
Like other pubs on Kilburn High Road I hadn't been in here since I lived round here some 15 years ago or so. And back then I remember it being a huge old gin palace, with much fading beauty and a lovely ceiling.
Well, now the beauty has unfaded, and the ceiling is as lovely as ever. And it's still big, but it feels very empty, with the large sofas taking up far too much room and being impractical as ever.
The wood I'm sure can be called sumptuous, and unsurprisingly it's listed.
But the downside is it's a bit cool. A "best Sunday roast in town" kind of pub. No ale on, in fact only two draft pumps. One Camden lager, and the other anonymous one was Guinness. When I asked I was told as if I should have known. The barmaid wasn't even surprised at my surprised when I was told this huge bar only had room for two pumps. Apparently, as I read later, it's because of some fall-out with the brewery / pubco over the beer tie. So good for them!
It is indeed a beautiful pub, but I don't think I'll be rushing back. The numerous upside-down lampshades in the windows tell you how super-trendy they are here. One thing amused me though, who-ever put up the relief of the locals of old taking the waters from the Kilburn Wells had possible been taking something a little stronger himself!
The Crawling Camel
Pub 263. The Sir Colin Campbell, 3rd June 2014.
It's funny who they used to name pubs after back in the old days, and who remembers Sir Colin Campbell now? I was hoping it might be named after this chap, but it turns out it's this one - he of the curious dromedarian nickname. Just goes to show what a big deal the Crimea was back then I suppose.
Two bars here, I think I was in the lounge with the saloon being the other side of the bar. The barmaid was nice and friendly, and the Guinness was nice. And the all important net curtains blocked out the outside world without it being to dingy. And remembering the locals the telly was tuned in to BBC Northern Island. Handy to catch up with the local news from Belfast!
Best of all was the fortune teller - I look forward to being surrounded by affection soon, and if I have to go back to the Campbell to get it that's no bad thing.
It's funny who they used to name pubs after back in the old days, and who remembers Sir Colin Campbell now? I was hoping it might be named after this chap, but it turns out it's this one - he of the curious dromedarian nickname. Just goes to show what a big deal the Crimea was back then I suppose.
Two bars here, I think I was in the lounge with the saloon being the other side of the bar. The barmaid was nice and friendly, and the Guinness was nice. And the all important net curtains blocked out the outside world without it being to dingy. And remembering the locals the telly was tuned in to BBC Northern Island. Handy to catch up with the local news from Belfast!
Best of all was the fortune teller - I look forward to being surrounded by affection soon, and if I have to go back to the Campbell to get it that's no bad thing.
Roll out the barrel
Pub 262. The Cooper's Arms, 3rd June 2014.
Ah this is more like it! Carpet, wood panels, properly upholstered furniture and no juke-box! Good stuff. No ale though, so the Guinness had to do.
Cue man at the bar who'd already mimed a toy boxing fight when I walked past him to enquire if I was Irish. He then didn't shut up for the next 10 minutes, repeating the same things over and over - his age, his daughters age, and something about my jacket. Oh - and "I'm joking!".
I got bored and went to sit down. So he picked on some lady say at the bar, and they had some heated argument about where he was born. He was annoying most folks by now and the land lady had to tell him to shut the F up. And another punter apologised to me for him! He was harmless really though, all good pub fun I suppose. And this is a good pub - if only they put an ale or two on. A cosy, friendly peaceful escape from the hustle-bustle of the Kilburn High Road
Also, I reckon it's the only pub in Camden where you can clearly see another pub from the gents' window. A pub pub-toilet fact!
Ah this is more like it! Carpet, wood panels, properly upholstered furniture and no juke-box! Good stuff. No ale though, so the Guinness had to do.
Cue man at the bar who'd already mimed a toy boxing fight when I walked past him to enquire if I was Irish. He then didn't shut up for the next 10 minutes, repeating the same things over and over - his age, his daughters age, and something about my jacket. Oh - and "I'm joking!".
I got bored and went to sit down. So he picked on some lady say at the bar, and they had some heated argument about where he was born. He was annoying most folks by now and the land lady had to tell him to shut the F up. And another punter apologised to me for him! He was harmless really though, all good pub fun I suppose. And this is a good pub - if only they put an ale or two on. A cosy, friendly peaceful escape from the hustle-bustle of the Kilburn High Road
Also, I reckon it's the only pub in Camden where you can clearly see another pub from the gents' window. A pub pub-toilet fact!
Ker-ching!
Pub 261. The Old Bell, 3rd June 2014.
It's a rainy afternoon in Kilburn, and the Old Bell is rammed. Rammed full of old men. Old men drinking lager or keg bitter, watching horse racing and laughing loudly. Just as a pub should be in the afternoon!
A pint of Courage was £2.10, yup. £2.10. Not sure if that was a special offer, but not bad eh? I don't know if I'd be tempted by the two meals for £7.45 though but no wonder the place was full. Mind you I didn't see many other people on the ale.
For one scary moment loud music started blaring out - but it just some tinkering being done on the roll done screen for the horse racing. Thankfully it was only a brief assault on the shell-likes, and then they went the whole hog by turning it off all together. No doubt much to the annoyance of the old chaps with their Racing Posts spread out in front of them.
It's a rainy afternoon in Kilburn, and the Old Bell is rammed. Rammed full of old men. Old men drinking lager or keg bitter, watching horse racing and laughing loudly. Just as a pub should be in the afternoon!
A pint of Courage was £2.10, yup. £2.10. Not sure if that was a special offer, but not bad eh? I don't know if I'd be tempted by the two meals for £7.45 though but no wonder the place was full. Mind you I didn't see many other people on the ale.
For one scary moment loud music started blaring out - but it just some tinkering being done on the roll done screen for the horse racing. Thankfully it was only a brief assault on the shell-likes, and then they went the whole hog by turning it off all together. No doubt much to the annoyance of the old chaps with their Racing Posts spread out in front of them.
No love lost
Pub 260. The Old Red Lion, 3rd June 2014
I remember when I lived round here that this was one of the roughest pubs in the area. Well, for "rough" read "untarted up", and as a fresh-faced 20-something never went in.
However I did go in during its later incarnation as The Westbury, but didn't like it much. Fancy sounding lager in big glasses, large chunky tables that look like they've come out of a castle kitchen with big chunky candles on which look like they've come out of a castle dungeon. Big low sofas and a general air of "we're so cool and hip and fancy but still a pub - we've got everything." but it wasn't really my cup of tea, and not most other people's either which is why it's something mysterious called "Love and Liquor". It was open when I was passing today, but it looked like a strip club. Turns out that it's a "Bar, club and party venue." which doesn't sound like my cup of anything.
Oh how I miss the Old Red Lion (one of the oldest pubs in Camden) - even though I never went. Use it or lose it.
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