please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Came in with friends on Saturday. I actually enjoyed it contrary to some other reviews. I am very much a pubber and this suited me fine. Music was being played but not to the stupidly loud point where we couldnt hear each other talking. The beer wasnt stupidly priced and I found the patrons friendly too. I would definately go back.
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This place is now called the Library and during my week night visit I felt like I had actually walked into one. This is a place for people who don�t do pubs. My change was returned on a tray and it was dark and depressing.
I left whilst I still had some energy left, never to return.
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Very enjoyable evening spent in there this week, was quite busy tho and they could do with a bit more seating. Other than that it was all good.
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Heard about this one from a friend, so decided to take my girlfriend there the other day, and was definately not dissapointed! Found out that it was 2 for 1 on cocktails, which we both took full advantage of! My girlfriend chose an ammaretto sour and I went for the caipirinha which both tasted great. Nice to be in an independant bar rather than the soulless chain bars found on upper st!
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So-so bar on Upper Street. Nothing really stands out, but there's always plenty of room.
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Wretchedly hip style bar. Utterly unmemorable and not one to go to if you actually want to taste a decent beer.
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Sure it looks pretty, but:
1) short pints
2) cocktails and spirits drowned in ice and mixer
3) more bouncers than bar staff (both equally surly though - all attitude and no service).
4) nowhere to sit, no atmosphere and unsurprisingly
5) very few customers.
In short - avoid.
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Walked past on Friday during the day and it was busy, why arent people at work?! Went in for a pint with a mate and ended up staying all night. Its smaller than I thought but my mate says there is an upstairs. Urinals are interesting! Unfortunately its got none of the wino-cum-violent-husbands you see huddling together in Weatherspoons; talking about Mylene Klass. Added to this was the disappointing lack of pool table, dart board and fulminating jukebox spewing out Madness: Greatest Hits.
Everyone seems to drink cocktails here, another sign of the money people seem to have despite not working on Fridays. :-(
anonymous - 15 Apr 2007 12:29 |
Nice. First went to this pub after a match up the road, and although there were a few of my fellow fans there, the atmosphere didn't suffer at all. Interesting decor, OK-ish beers (if you like lager) and decent staff. Big thumbs up.
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Cracking bar, up there with the KL - massive improvement on Lush. Great DJ's too.
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Been in this place on many an occasion. Well impressed.
Great place for pre and post Ashburton Grove excursions.
Music has been nice n' eclectic whenever Ive been in, which along with the crisp decor, helps to create a nice n relaxed vibe.
Best place in the area.
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Ha ha, good to hear a bit of criticism, seems that the previous comment has been a bit defensive mr. anonymous (a.k.a mr. friend of the manager)!
Tory House means its music for people with conservative tastes, you know: stick to what they know. Anyway, nowt wrong with that, everywhere else on Upper Street plays vinyl of dolphins having sex with roadworks. If you like 'Socialist House' dross like our resident music expert Dafinki then stay at home and dance around your alarm clock.
I walk past this place every day coming home from work and I never go in. However on Tuesday a 'Wine Tasting' sign caught my eye. I don't like wine, but who is going to turn it down when it is free? The staff inside were very friendly and it was FULL of beautiful girls. A couple of friends joined me in time for the quiz. Dafinki, you would have loved it, it was a Britpop quiz!... I kid you not...
Whatever anyone says about this place it is probably the nicest pub on Upper Street, plenty of room and very friendly. I am wary of whether it is usually this good, it seems far quieter when I walk past it.
I wouldn't agree with music-cum-interior-design expert Lawrence Llewelyn-Dafinki's opinion that 'they' don't have the panache to pull off the design... This place has more than a touch of class about it, very well decorated but hey..... if like Dafinki, you like your pubs to have 'Take me to your dealer' posters on the walls and lumps of sick in the corner; then maybe you won't like what the cedar room have done.
8/10
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I've got no idea what tory house is?? I really liked the place, cocktails are good, tunes are quality, and decor is pretty individual.
anonymous - 27 Oct 2006 22:37 |
Was disappointed.
Layout is very odd. Tackily, on my first visit there they played the Doves twice in the first hour I was there (the pub is named after a Doves track), but that's just an aside, not a complaint, it was quite funny. On other visits though the music's been fairly Tory-house and really far too loud. Service has been slow and so-called 'cocktails' were dreadful. It's a shame because they've really tried to go for a certain look and feel but they've just not got the panache to carry it off. Avoid.
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good pub. lovely decor, kitted out nicely.
anonymous - 29 Jul 2006 09:14 |
Formerly known as 'Lush Bar' the Cedar Rooms is a completely different atmosphere. Being in Lush was like being in a Lazer Quest without a gun. The Red Team comprised of incongrous drunks holding 'for grins' with their non-corporeal friends, whilst the Yellow Team was assembled from a group of supercilious skin head students sporting stubble.
I don't know who designed this place but it no longer looks like the Scrapyard Zone on Sonic the Hedgehog 1. It must have cost a bit and it doesn't look like anything else I've ever been in. Its like sitting in a glass of semi-skimmed culture with a Mini Milk ice lolly dropped in it. Its not that its anything special, its just different. Very friendly staff and drinkers, very good Guinness and seating conducive to sleep. The place is haunted by the Ghost of Culture Present. He glides through the walls at night and drinks a tap water whilst playing computer chess.
anonymous - 15 May 2006 21:33 |
When your mum asks you to go to her 'favourite local' for a mother's day drink you reluctantly climb into the car, draw the seatbelt across your chest and pray you are involved in a car accident en route. i was expecting my mother to lead me to a dingy, smokey irish pub where i'd find four generations of the same family chasing a dog around a dart board whilst Paddy fiddles with a small television showing horse racing.
This place shut me up, when i arrived in one piece it stood out as different from the pubs nearby. although completely empty when i arrived it slowly filled up with people. and when i say 'people' i dont mean the entrants of a shane macgowan look-a-like competition or the cast of father ted - the drinkers were closer to my age than my mums.
i was impressed with the barman/owner who seemed to befriend everyone in there except one suited drunk who was harshly removed for mumbling. GUINNESS WAS VERY GOOD for a london pub and as a non smoker i was happy with by the generous helpings of clean air in the absence of previous night's smoke.
most pubs i have commented on here deserve to be levelled, staff turned into top soil and their land sold to Tesco. but this one? i am not so sure - it really is decent little bar. as a 'sarf londoner' i've realised that north london has more variety for the capital's drinkers, if this place is anything to go by then Upper Street could offer something new to those who habitually descend upon the listless riverside pubs of Richmond and crammed beer gardens in Clapham... 8/10
anonymous - 2 Apr 2006 00:06 |
cool new set up. good for a few cocktails
anonymous - 27 Mar 2006 19:24 |
CEDAR ROOMS. great little venue, cool place to go for a few weekend beers and take it easy. relaxed bar staff and i heard its going to get a revamp
anonymous - 26 Mar 2006 21:35 |
Mmmm... Cocktails!
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A great venue on the wrong end of Upper St. The bar is fantastic, selling every conceivable drink you can imagine. No snooty barstaff either, just a friendly crowd who know how to have fun.
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went there last friday. there was this guy called raj dj'ing. What a guy and what a dj!!!
where can i see him play again?
norm
norm - 13 Oct 2004 18:48 |
Went one Tuesday. Great live music. Not too packed and they had Leffe on tap.
Paul - 22 Sep 2004 04:09 |
Get down there on a Saturday night. I saw a couple of funky house DJs playing there a couple of weekends ago, and the place was rammed, and they were playing some damn fine tunes! Lovely atmosphere too.
Nick - 21 Sep 2004 14:31 |
The Live music here continues to get better week by week. They have now branched into Wednesday nights playing host to Funk bands and tuesdays they are finding some fantastic acoustic acts - a couple of weeks back i saw Nemo Jones from Faithless playing - i was gobsmacked
Dan - 11 Aug 2004 15:26 |
The Sunday night Live Jazz continues to get better and better. I was in there last sunday and not only was the music great, the atmosphere was fantastic. They even handed around platters of freshly made ham and cheese tortilla wraps. An absolute must visit.
Jim - 2 Jun 2004 15:30 |
I worked at Lush as a barman in the opening months. I gained some great friends and found the crowd to be equally friendly. The owner of the bar is a truly interesting person. He started the first Lush bar in Islington. Turning the riffraff away was the first line of business. The current crowd developed from a friendly staff (myself included) and good music selection. Well I am back my hometown in New Milford, New Jersey and last I heard Lush bar is going strong and opened a new Lush in Camden.
Ron Grosinger - 6 May 2004 19:33 |
Beatiful Barmaids, trendy music and an upmarket clientel do not a great pub make. Friendly staff, reasonably priced well made cocktails and subtle lighting (no one wants members of the opposite sex to know what they really look like) on the other hand, do. I would run out of superlatives in defining this pub, just go and find out for yourself.
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Was in Lush when the TM Collective played (sunday night few weeks back), absolutley brilliant. Can't wait to go to more Jazz nights.
daverobundy - 25 Feb 2004 18:01 |
Went there by chance on a sunday night and was amazed at what i found - an excellent night of live jazz from 2 of the best bands i have seen in ages. The best thing about it was that its free - i have been there every sunday since and have yet to be disapointed. such a nice way to finish the weekend - sip on a cocktail and relax to some jazz grooves
pablo - 10 Feb 2004 18:30 |
I was turned away from this place at 10:15pm by a surly, belligerent doorman accusing me of "having too many" - I explained to him that this couldn't be the case as I was in fact driving that evening and was stone cold sober. I was accompanied with my girlfriend and another couple, we were all in smart casual clothing (i.e proper shoes, trousers and shirts). Being a thirty-something I was utterly dumbfounded for the pathetic reasons and aggression that emanated from an unprovoked doorman. My advice to anyone thinking of visiting this place is do not bother. If the doorstaff are anything to go by the remainder of the place must be hell on earth.
Ian - 2 Feb 2004 14:17 |
It has been Lush for about 4 months now. Really nice atmoshphere inside. Laid back and friendly staff. Was in there on wed night and girls were dancing on the bar. Highly recommend it for a relaxed social drink in the week and to have some fun at weekends.
Andrew - 27 Nov 2003 15:13 |
FYI: There is no pool table upstairs, it is a private room for hire. There is no Sky TV. But there are over 35 cocktails and live music coming soon
steve - 26 Nov 2003 16:30 |
I have been told that they are moving into live music. From Sunday 7th December, there will be jazz and chilled funk bands playing every sunday. Looking forward to supping on cocktails whilst listening to a bit of jazz, what a great idea.
Dion - 26 Nov 2003 16:24 |
Regularly stop in at Lush after work and also on Friday/Saturday. It has a real relaxed atmosphere, music is great (suits all tastes) and the bar staff are all extremely friendly. Well worth a visit and with a late licence you don't have to bother with the club queues! Top drawer.
Ali McLindsay - 10 Nov 2003 17:57 |
I live nearby and often pop in on the way home. Has changed quite a bit since the new owner took over a couple of months ago - very nice laid back cool but cosy bar, loads of candles everywhere make for a great atmosphere. Great service too, everyone's really friendly. can get a bit busy at weekends though! They now have a film night Sundays (although I haven't been to one yet) and a quiz night on Tuesdays.
Liz - 6 Nov 2003 13:43 |
Formerly the Independance, now a laid back, cocktailtastic, atmospheric lounge bar with excellent grooves and fantastic staff. They have a superb function room upstairs for private parties too.
Steve - 17 Oct 2003 16:11 |
I worked in Upper Street in the early 80's and i used this pub every lunchtime. There was an old man with a duffle bag in there every day. He was called Maggie and he was completely mad. He sat there all day drinking draught Trophy and talking absolute shite. Me and my mate still talk about him now. He really should have been on telly. I went back there a few months ago but i suppose he is dead by now. If anyone remembers him i would love to hear from you.
Peter - 18 May 2003 16:33 |
The Whitbread sign outside has been there for years, so I doubt ownership has reverted; in any case Whitbread are called Laurel now. Angel & Crown was the original name of the pub.
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In the last few weeks its name has been changed to "Angel and Crown." I think it has been taken over by Whitbread as well as the name change. Will visit soon.
Patrick - 9 Mar 2003 13:31 |
Cool, laid back bar near Highbury & Islington Station.
Shaun - 6 Mar 2003 15:24 |
