please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I really like this little pub. If you are a local to highbury, you will be painfully aware that there are very few places to go for a relaxed pint, but the woodbine really feels very cosy and welcoming. I read alot of the reviews which comment on the staff being a bit surly but I have to say that this has not been my experience - just really nice people.
One negative comment - I would dearly love to come in with a tin of Dulux One Coat and get rid of that ghastly mural - other than that - a really good pub.
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Visited with friends on Saturday. We sat down and had a few pints (I'm a Guinness drinker and I have to say it was absolutely spot on!) I cant remember the exact price (Around the �3.60 mark). The chap behind the bar was alright, not overly friendly but still welcoming enough. My mate lives just around the corner and this is the reason we went in. He absolutely loves it and I can see why. A proper pub where you can sit, relax and have a chat. I shall be back!
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I am a committed ale drinker and am therefore very choosey in my pubs, the woodbine I'm glad to say is now one of my favourites having discovered it shortly after moving to the area a few months ago. London pride and Tim tailors landlords are ever present with two rotating guest ales always available.
The Sunday roast has to be seen to be believed and the Thai food always looks good too. My wife reports herself delighted to have found a pub we can both use close to us, and often finds herself enjoying a nice merlot on her own whilst waiting for me, always a good sign in my book.
The staff are all friendly and welcoming as indeed are all the customers many of whom have by all accounts been using the pub for many many years, all in all a great pub and I for one will continue to enjoy it. Top marks, keep up the good work.
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I live 5 minute walk from the Woodbine on Blackstock Road. I LOVE this place, it's by far the best pub in the area. Staff always remember my name and make myself and my boyfriend feel very welcome. The Jukebox is excellent and my boyfriend is slightly addicted to it!!! Thai food is good and the Sunday Roast is well worth a visit. Best local in Highbury by far.....don't tell everyone, i want to keep it to myself!!! lol
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Beauty is but skin deep as they say and this very much a case in point. Looks good but unhelpful, surly staff who look at you as if you should be grateful they have acknowledged your presence far less offered to serve you.
celt7 - 12 Apr 2011 16:54 |
This place looks good - decent decor - good jukebox - good clientel and great Thai food. But the staff with their sour & miserable attitude sadly overclouds anything positive about this bar.
I have been going for years as it is my local. Last night I was refused entry - the Barman actually saw me and my girlfriend getting out the taxi and approaching - (we were specifically coming to his pub) he scurried off and we were greeted at the door by a bouncer saying that we could not enter as the place was too busy - which was such a blatant insult (and lie) as we could see thorugh the large windows that the bar was only half full.
Only last week we were there chatting to staff and eating the great Thai food. This bar is a business - like so many institutions these days - the staff are cold, distant and unfriendly.
I am very offended to be refused entry to a bar that I have given loyal custom to over many years. If you value a bar that treats loyal long term patrons with even the slightest semblance of respect - then avoid the Woodbine and head to the Bank of friendship across the road.
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This tends to be the more appealing place in area dominated by gooner pubs. Dim lighting, half-decent music, dodgy art on the walls, good drinks = effective combination. Never found the staffs' attitude to be a problem - not convinced that all that important anyway.
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This place could, and SHOULD, be so good. Enticing, characterful, great jukebox, decent beers. And yet... quite what has got those poor poor bar staff so mournfully miserable is anyone's guess. I've been in loads of times and it's always the same: you start to imagine that they have all just heard of an unexpected death in the family, or that their rent has been doubled, or that their wages have been halved. Or all three. Recently they even had a cosy little gathering of miserableness at the end of the bar at about 11pm, serving each other drinks whilst none-too-poiltely pointing out to remaining customers that the bar was closed. Nice work.
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Probably the best looking pub in Highbury by a mile, however this isn't really saying much. Decent jukebox and reasonable rates for beer are the selling points; am yet to try the obligatory Thai menu. Downside is the staff range from aloof to the downright surly, you can bearly lift pint to mouth in the tiniest of beer gardens and wasn't allowed to pay by card on a match day even though there was nobody else in the pub.
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Nice real ale, busy matchdays far more civilised than some nearby. Comfy leather settee too, ok all rounder for Gooners like me who enjoy a drop of real beer!
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Had good service in the Woodbine..hurrah..shock horror..gay guy behind the bar served us and other staff should look and learn.he smiled and was welcoming and said thanksand even got a goodnight which was a first..went in a few days later and was back to sulky sullen staff..will look through the window to check who is working from now on..
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I lived locally and go into this pub from time to time, but like the comments below I've become fed up with the rudeness of the staff (hairy Irish guy is the case in point).. to go directly from here to the Bank Of Friendship where the staff are welcoming and cheerful shows just how different two pubs only yards apart can be!
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A friendly pub, welcoming to all adults who like a drink with no petty prejudices from the bar staff.....this description applys to a lot of pubs but DEFINITELY NOT THIS ONE!!!!!
AVOID!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Unfortunately, I have to agree with everything liam_o says. Such a pity as the pub has great potential. I went there with some friends during the week and it was most uncomfortable. The hairy Irish guy has a way of making a person feel he's doing them a great favour by serving them a drink. Customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
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this pub has been our local for about six months, everything spot on, nice crowd, good beer, good service, everything that is except weird beard! the barman who seems to think the pub is for his pleasure only. can generally be found drunk and/or stoned loitering by the juke box playing unbearably loud music. we could put up with that but not the outright rudeness if not aggression from him. at first we would laugh about it, not any more, without doubt the most arrogant, obnoxious, rudest barman ever. we wont be returning for this reason. pity
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This place has delusions of grandeur. Trendy decor? Check. Cool jukebox with appropriate proportions of classic rock and indie? Check. And they have Timothy Taylor Landlord on tap!
Sounds like a winner? Well unfortunately not. The staff are sullen at the best of times, moody on others (agreed DeliaSmith!) and the distinct lack of tables makes it difficult to find anywhere to sit. Not a terrible place by any means, but definitely not as good as everyone else says.
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still loving this pub....juke box ROCKS and we always get a good late drink!!!
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gh
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A genuinely very nice pub indeed. Went on a whim and will definitely be coming back. The atmosphere is really warm, the beer's fairly good and the little garden at the back is cosy.
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Cracking pub - Good beers, great jukebox, amusing crowd, but the bar staff are astonishingly surly. Add a drink to your order at your peril, the slightly beardy Irish chap will bite your head off!
But it's my favorite pub in the world, and wouldn't change anything about it.
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Beerguy, how come you haven't reviewed any other pubs?
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great little laid back pub with a nice crowd. Thai food good and reasonably priced as is the beer. I have visited this pub many times and cant fault it. the irish couple working there are always friendly and helpfull.
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WAS IN THIS PUB LAST NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I WILL BE COMING BACK FOR MORE. GREAT JUKE BOX AND FRIENDLY FAST SERVICE.
anonymous - 21 Oct 2007 17:12 |
Nice pub, shame about the indifferent bar staff, especially that Irish girl who couldn't give a shit if you'd waiting at the bar all night.
Wouldn't visit again for that reason.
anonymous - 5 Oct 2007 13:50 |
I wonder if this is the same idiot we met last night. My friend turned up ahead of us - we were all celebrating his birthday. He turned up at the pub and asked for his FIRST drink - The barman said "I think you've had more than enough" and wouldn't serve him! When we went in and told the barman he must have had the wrong person, he didn't care, and also didn't care when we told him we weren't coming back - depite visiting the pub all summer with out any trouble and having NEVER SEEN THIS IDIOT BEHIND THE BAR BEFORE!!!!!
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They should get rid of the idiot barman who refused service to �away fans� � no colours, northern accent -(25Aug), despite the bar being quiet ~18:00. A friendly couple outside couldn�t believe their ears and kindly offered to go to the bar for us, but I politely declined and took our custom elsewhere.
Shame, as the pub had a nice aspect from outside and within; horseshoe bar, wood floor, choice of real ales, can�t recall what they were as I didn�t get to sample any!
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They are now doing roasts on Sunday, and they did this bank holiday Monday too. A round 10 quid for one of three roasts, Rib of beef, organic corn fed chook, and I assume it was loin of pork, but could've been lamb, can't remember. Proper portions, proper gravy (jus?)Tasty and worth every penny, friendly service from the waiteress too,
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This is a decent pub which compares very well with the local competition. Not stunning but good for a friday night pint or two.
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I was so disappointed after reading the below.
Was noisy and dark and the only reason I could see that people had gone there was to order the (admittedly good looking) food.
Bar area cramped and hard to access due to having too many tables - see above re food!
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Nicely decked out, very welcoming pub. There is a graffiti style mural above the bar which I guess gives it a cool urbanite feeling. I love the stuffed bear's head on the wall.
Get packed later on with plenty of young professionals spending their cash on beer and wine. Well kept lager on tap, other varieties kept in the fridge.
Nice pub, although my only gripe would be the food. Everywhere you go its thai food on the menu. Be nice it they did something British. And no, I'm not being racist. Couldn't they get Nigel Slater on the case, he only lives up the road?
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Finally, a place that's recognised that there is a good mix of people in the area with proper jobs who need a nice, relaxing evening out.
Good ambience (a table towards the back makes a great place for a quiet liaison), nice wine and a well-stocked and eclectic jukebox that isn�t painfully loud. It�s a great place to go on your own for a quiet one or with friends for a good catch-up. In the times I've been in, it�s mostly a mix of 30-50somethings, a bit trendy but by no means pretentious.
The chap behind the bar is always lovely and friendly; although the last time I was in, he was busy doing other things and the Irish girl working seemed a bit put out whenever I asked for something. She spent most of the time chatting to a couple of guys who were sat at the bar, so perhaps she didn't like being interrupted. I�ll assume this is a one-off.
They also offer an extensive Thai menu, of which I�ve only tried a handful of things � all were good and not ridiculously-priced.
I�ve never been in on a match day, so cannot attest for the atmosphere then. They also boast of a nice patio garden, but I always seem to forget to go there when the weather�s nice, so haven�t seen it.
Overall, their recent(ish) refurbishment and other changes have made a huge difference in all respects.
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Thank god for a decent pub in the area. It is packed with Arsenal fans on matchdays as they all are, but attracts a relaxed mixed crowd rest of the time. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff.
celt7 - 16 Oct 2006 17:06 |
Great pub, nice atmosphere and a decent rage of beers
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Refurbishment is excellent! Real ales on tap, great selection of top-shelf spirits, one of the best jukeboxes in London, friendly staff and just about anything you want from a neighborhood pub. By far the best in the area and can be quite busy even on off nights. Live music some Monday evenings!
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The Woodbine re-opens on Fri Aug 12th. Its got a great new look with a classic rock jukebox and re-claimed wood finishings. Should be by far the best pub in the area.
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I heard this pub has now been closed due to some sort of health and safety issue ?
When I did used to frequent the place , it wasn't to bad , very narrow making it ridiculously crowded on a matchday.
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A reasonable pub - probably the best in the area (which isn't saying much). Shame about the TV screens which dominate the pub on every wall.
Avoid on match days.
Richard Jones - 30 Jul 2003 17:02 |
Nice friendly bar staff - the usual beers. Usually a good crowd An okay place for a drink and a chat.
claire - 25 Jun 2003 13:34 |
Best pub around Arsenal football ground. Gets busy when the Gunners are playing but it's a nice, relaxed watering hole the rest of the time with offers on drinks most nights.
Lee - 19 Jun 2002 20:23 |
