please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
£5.70 for a pint of Gamma Ray - seems to have been a relatively swift ascent from the five pound pint and am sure the £6 pint will be with us before the year is out.
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Okay for what it is but the actual cask ale selection is never anything special.
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It is now a reasonable option though you are often restricted to having the one ale on. There are 'craft' ales on - Camden Hells, Gamma Ray all at an enhanced price. Gave the Hells a go at £5.10 a pint and had it served in the new special Camden Hells glass which had more than a passing resemblance to a large jam jar with the Hells logo on it.
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Watched an old Richard Burton Film which had key scenes filmed here - The Villian - and in 1971, this was a spectacular looking pub. Thought I would check it out.
It has changed, but you can see echos of its former glory in the high ceilinged room, with central dome.
A green king pub - the pint of Sambournes Wandle exceeded all expectations.
Lots of competition in the area but a good pub. Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2wM3nj2
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Much improved on the ale front had a decent pint of a Twickenham brew and appeared a bit less foody on this visit.
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Beer OK but nothing special. Pub more or less empty mid Saturday afternoon. No atmosphere at all.
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Airy Victorian boozer with a decent amount of natural light and pretty decor.
Definitely an adherent to the 'craft' craze with a fair few Camden and Meantime keg beers. Prices for these are of course to match. I went for their own cask Assembly Ale which came in at £3.40 - not bad considering the rate at which prices are going up in London.
Fun, accessible pub quiz on Sundays.
Regarding the service, it does seem to slow quite a bit after work and when there's a gig on at the Forum - more than should be normal. If it's busy, you can find me in the Southampton Arms or the Pineapple. Pity as it's miles better than almost all pubs down the road in NW1 - but there's a lot of competition in NW5.
R3NW5 - 22 Jun 2015 12:51 |
Nice space. Was Great for the World Cup. Unfriendly and slow staff normally though. Frustrating....
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Its ok, sells budweiser budvar, which is a plus. Handy for the forum, the train and the bus. Good place to wait for any/either of these.
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Recent visit to get out of the rain and it was a million times better than the last visit. It was packed out and couldn't get served, only 2 people behind the bar but the beer looked good (More than it did on last visit), left and went to the Pineapple where it was also wedged. However the Pineapple had 5 people behind the smaller bar and service was instant!
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Was in here last Thursday waiting for a mate.Had a pinbt of the Hackney best bitter.Superd drop of Ale.
So nice i necked it abnd ordered another/.
Went back this wednesday and it was gone...Shame.The Ale i had wasn't bad, but not a patch on thye Hackney best.
Not a bad boozer, very foody,but still a pub.
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I was in this pub last weekend and was very surprised to see St Mungo Lager, I've only ever seen it served in the Glasgow area before, recommended if you like German style beer. Good range of real ales too and friendly bar staff, right next to Kentish Town underground station, worth a visit.
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Very disappointing experience. A new menu starting this week has been advertised for some time. Avoided expensive nearby pubs and decided to try the Sunday roast today. Had always enjoyed it before, £8.85 and a choice of (usually) turkey or beef. Today the choice was beef, pork or lamb (all red meat) at £12.50 or £13.50. I was therefore expecting something much improved for the hike in price. The pork was covered in huge layer of fat, not crisp at all. The advertised stuffing was missing. I like crisp vegetables but I couldn't get my knife through the broccoli. The (tinned/) beans were hard and stringy. My companion's gravy boat looked a s if it had someone had helped themselves to the contents on the way. The wine I ordered was unavailable as too was the soft drink for my companion. we were asked 4 times by 4 members of staff if everything was OK but after complaining about the drinks, gravy and lack of stuffing I was getting very irritated. So that will unfortunately be my last visit to this pub. Makes the others seem like good value now!
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Pleasant pub with good friendly bar staff.
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Pub very close to Kentish Town underground station, a lot bigger inside than it looks from the outside.
Serves Grene King beer and also a guest ale ( from a Nottingham brewery on my visit) all of which are well kept.
Pleasant bar staff and a decent atmosphere for a drink, worth a visit if you are in the area.
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Dropped in again while waiting on a train. There was a crowd glued to a big screen in the lower part of the pub at the front. Was wondering what football, rugby or other sporting event it was but found out they were there for some interactive computer game. I retreated to the rear half of pub where I found the biggest change, which was in the selection of ales. A number of reasonable beers including Brains 'Milkwood' - not only the best ale from Brains I have tried but also the best pint of the day. Worth missing the odd train for on this offering.
anonymous - 25 Mar 2012 12:07 |
Actually bought a pint here today - it has been refurbed and doesn't have as much of a dour feel to it as it used to. Still only GK offerings - IPA, Abbot, Speckled Hen. The Speckled Hen was well kept and drinkable though it's still only somewhere to wait for a train.
anonymous - 25 Nov 2011 18:01 |
Regarding the meal i recently had at the assemley house in Kentish Town, i would think twice about having your christmas celebrations there.
I recently had a meal there with my family and it was awful, in fact it was an absolute insult. It must have been the worst roast dinner ive had in my whole life.
Half of the food was burnt, the other half was undercooked, and there was not enough to feed a 'pigeon'. The service was terrible with the one girl serving who seemed more interested in her phone than attending to customers.
I would never ever go there again, which is a shame, as about 3-4 months ago when it was under a different management it was alot better.
I rate the food/service 0 out of 10 which is a shame as it is such a lovely pub with nice intersting decor.
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What a transformation! As a previous poster said this place has been closed for about 6 weeks for refurbishment. On first visit back I can't believe the improvement. First off I have to say that a lot of the previous posts about this place were valid! While I felt it always had potential it was just let down in the slightly grubby look and surly Euro staff that would rather spend time texting than serving.
It's location is great, sitting neatly between the HMV Forum and Kentish Town tube. This was a bit an issue the other day when the place was rammed at 6pm due a gig being on. Still for the most part it makes for a great pub now. Big, bright and sunny during the day and a nice atmosphere during the evening. I also have to say that while this is predominantly a lager pub (Kirin, Budvar, and Estrella amongst more standards) I think the new owners have made an effort with the ale as there are still the IPA faire they have two
guest ales on.
Still if anyone was in a proper beer mood 'The Southampton Arms' is just up the road and that is the finest ale pub in London IMO. ;-)
So in summary - congratulations to the new owners. The new staff are great and attentive (I got asked twice if I was being served when I was) The food was still pretty standard pub munch but we enjoyed it and the quality was very good. The new loo's are a definate improvement.
Kentish town has scored with this one.
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Blinds down and sign on the door reads.
"Closed for 6 weeks for refurbishment, see you in June."
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Shame about only Greene King beers on but worth a visit for the pub interior. Staff were friendly and the food looked good
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Called in before a concert at the HMV forum a while back. Very friendly atmosphere and good quality beer. Efficient and friendly bar staff, the service was fast even when the place got busy prior to the concert, with staff often serving multiple customers at a time. (service was awful at the pub over the road). Prices not too bad either. Will call again if we happen to be in the area in the future.
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The Assembly House has recently (August 2010) been taken over by new management (Thank god, I heard this was the case so popped in to see the difference!) There is already a vast improvement in cleanliness, the standard of beer is better (or as it should be) and the new management and staff are friendly, helpful and more importantly, competent. I haven't eaten here since it has been taken over, but saw the food come out of the kitchen and it looked and smelled really good.
It is such a shame that the previous management and staff were so rude, incompetent and generally dispicable, but now they are no longer there (I am sure the standard improved as soon as they walked out of the doors for the last time).
Since the new management seem to have the energy to rebuild it into a decent pub again, I now have the energy to visit more often!
I'm going to give it a bit longer to rate it because I have a feeling they haven't quite finished improving it yet!
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GK IPA and Abbot were the only ales on... was going to go for the lager but thought why the frig should I as i didn't fancy staying in the place anyway. Maybe it's an age thing but I seem to be walking out of pubs without buying stuff if I don't like what's on offer these days.
anonymous - 16 Aug 2010 19:20 |
Went there on a Sunday afternoon and despite the reviews here, we found it be pretty good on the whole.
Service was friendly, Tucker was tasty and reasonably priced and the beer was tip top...
cufc4 - 24 Jul 2010 22:56 |
if you are inspired by music, arts and culture, don't come here. If you are looking to neck as many shots of sambucca as you can with your over-weight, fake-tanned, boob-tube wearing mates, go for it
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Absolute toilet. The one thing they could be good at (given the amount of space etc) is showing the football. And they're rubbish at that also.
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Went in here on my way to The Forum to see a band and wished I hadn't. The one miserable girl behind the bar was doing me a favour by serving me and when the Abbot ran out at one pump (After pulling the dregs through into my glass) she wandered round the front bar and continued filling it there. Surprise, surprise, it tasted like s***. I gave it back and told her it wasn't drinkable to which she replied "Uh... it must be off then"...Silence.... So when I asked for another pint of IPA, otherwise she'd have just stood there like a dummy forever, it was served and just about drinkable.
I've been here before but it was never this bad.
THIS IS BAR FAR AND AWAY THE WORST PUB I'VE VISITED IN LONDON. I'd give up drinking, rather than go in here again.
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Popped in for a couple of pints despite reading previous reviews. I shouldn't have bothered. Does the manager recruit miserable and surly people on purpose? Shame because I thought the pub itself was pretty good.
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Large imposing roadhouse situated on a busy prominent street corner just outside Kentish Town tube station.
Once inside the pub, we learn that it was a traditional meeting place for ladies and gentlemen who wished to travel north in the safety of a group to avoid highwaymen and brigands. In the 1970's it became a film set in the Richard Burton film "Villain" and it is rumoured that Elizabeth Taylor pulled pints for the cast between shots.
Despite much evident modernisation, the pub still retains some semblance of its obvious earlier Victorian grandeur. There's a fine high moulded ceiling, some Corinthian columns and some internal etched glasswork. However much of the glass is now plain glass and the obvious separate bar layout has been knocked through. The pub is however listed in CAMRA's London Inventory of Heritage Pubs.
Apart from the surviving features, it now has a rather typical bare-boarded interior with some long wooden tables and chairs. There's a clear emphasis on food and wine and, with something of an All Bar One feel to the place, it's clearly pitching for the local professional thirty somethings.
Although it's not badged externally as such, it's a Greene King pub which, on my recent visit, was offering only the standard IPA and Abbott. The IPA - � 2.75p - was in good condition and perhaps cheaper than I might have expected given earlier postings. There is now a visible price list displayed.
I didn't have any issue with the staff, but scuzzy toilets say a lot about a pub's management - and these here were the worst I've come across in a long while ( graffiti, wet floor, smelly etc ).
This is not a drinker's pub and, taking the experience as a whole, I don't envisage a return visit.
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great building, great location but somehow no atmosphere whatsoever
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I know this place is steeped in history but I really don't rate it. Too big and airy, beer pricey.
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Fairly rude staff spoil what could be a great location on the high street and close to the tube station.
Beautiful old pub which is, I think, listed and rightly so.
Would very carefully consider eating there!
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The bar staff seem more interested in reading the paper, talking amongst themselves and texting on their phones, than serving and talking to customers!
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How am I supposed to know that a pint of Abbot Ale is �3-30p when there is no visible price list for beers in this establishment. They have visible price lists for everything else: wines, foods etc.. What about beer? �3-30p That's about 10% to 20% more expensive than anywhere else. It's little wonder they want to hide it.
They have loud music. And young teenage dolly birds serve at the bar. It's clear to see that they want the younder generation attracted by the bar-staff. Sex sells.
Loos: Category D. Furnishings: shabby Not worth the price you're paying.
Interesting roof light.
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Very nice old pub with high ceilings. Big spacious bars.
However, �3.70 for a pint of Kronenburg is criminal - this is not the West End.
If you can afford to drink here, it seems otherwise a good pub, but way out of my price league, for what is essentially a nothing-really-special corner pub.
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Nice pub on the inside, nice bar area and comfy sofas. It's also nice and bright during the day thanks to the massive windows.
Bar staff are 50% lovely, 50% mental. Beer's nice. Slightly random crowd seems to drink there.
Better pubs in the area but nice enough for a big group.
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I like this Pub its obviously got lots of history, quiet when i visited but the food was really nice (Burger + Steak ) and the staff were quite freindly.
Beers were a little expensive I thought but still cheaper than a lot of places in London just a bit pricey for that end of town i reckon...
Only complaint was that it was so hot but the young aussie barmaid got us a fan which was quite sweet.
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Visited again this afternoon. Menu same as before, and there are still daily pasta specials. Still has friendly staff, but pub was rather empty today. Everything seemed ok until I paid a visit to the gents. The cubicle is covered in gratuitously racist and offensive graffiti, which appears to have either gone unnoticed or otherwise been allowed to continue. A strong, and obvious theme is evident, and gives the impression that the Assembly House is a type of pub that we all know it isn't.
PLEA TO MANAGEMENT: please inspect these cubicles and give them a lick of paint!
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Absolutely love this place, the staff are always smily & up for a laugh.
Damn fine pint of abbot although it'd be good if they had more range in the ales .
no where near as pretentious as the oxford and the foods better here anyway, try the big nachos, you wont regret it
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Sounds like a crusade against this place based on the last couple of reviews. Also sounds like there may be two sides to the story considering the vehemence in which the attacks occur.
As an alternate point of view, I've been coming to The Assembly House since I moved into the area, just over a year ago and I've found the opposite to be true.
The staff are always particularly friendly and service swift. Had my birthday here at the end of January and it couldn't have gone better. The food was surprising in the quality that arrived, I didn't spend much because I was on a budget, but the manager and staff seemed to go out of their way to ensure my guests and myself were looked after.
I don't like it when there's a gig up the road because it's too busy, so try to avoid those times, but I go in at least once a week to meet friends, and we always have a great time.
I've also never had a flat pint.
Hope it continues long into the future.
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Why is such a lovely pub spoilt by rude,surly,and very poor bar staff ?
Huge victorian building with original etched mirrors etc
I visited on an early Sat evening to watch the Rugby,pub was busy but there were only about 15 people at the bar,and they couldn't manage that amount.
No idea of any form of order.
I stood and watched a barman start serving people that had come in after me (I had still not been served although clearly seen !),stop half way,get some food orders and take them to the tables,come back to finish off drinks, then take drinks order from others that had just arrived !!
I complained,and "I'm busy" was barked at me and told "there's the door"
I suggested they couldn't cope and was told to leave !
There is no excuse for such poor service in this day and age.
Owners/Brewery should get rid of manager and staff and start afresh !
Will not be visiting again for sometime and will dissuade anyone else who may be thinking of going there !
Shame,cos it's full of potential.
My score of 5 is for building only !!!
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This is a beautiful pub that has a lot of potential for becoming a magnificent, vibrant and lively space in which people can relax and socialise, if only it had the right management in place. Unfortunately, the surly and lacklustre staff bring any chance of creating a pleasant atmosphere crashing to the ground.
I have been to the Assembly House 3 times in the past year mainly due to it's size and location, each time hoping that previously my friends and I had just caught the staff on a bad day. But each time, we have been shown perfect examples of how not to run/work in a pub:
1. Last Saturday in particular, "hello", "how can I help you?", "please" and "thank you", were not in the staff's vocabulary. We were lucky to get a "yeah?". Most of the evening we were greeted with blank looks and at one point the girl who served us made rude and sarcastic remarks implying that we didn't know what we were ordering;
2. They struggled with one of the basics of working in a pub -- how to pour a decent pint. The first round of beers was flat, and when my friends complained and suggested that the gas needed changing (between us, we have around 60 years of experience working and managing pubs), the staff refused to do anything about it;
3. They generally don't care which glasses they serve your drinks in. Don't be surprised if they present you with a glass of Leffe in a regular short half pint glass because they can't be bothered to go round the corner to get the proper Leffe glass, that allows room for the head. True story;
4. They rarely look up at the people who are waiting to be served so they don't know (or care?) who's next in line. They ignore you when you try to get their attention and drift around apathetically behind the bar after finally taking your order. I once spent 30 minutes waiting to be served on a quiet Saturday night so I ended up buying two rounds at a time to reduce the amount of time I had to spend at the bar. They don't seem to see this as a problem. Meanwhile, their manager was more interested in picking out his favourite music on his ipod than attempting to serve customers;
5. Plates and empty glasses are not collected nearly often enough by the staff, and clutter up the tables;
6. Out of the three cubicles in the women's toilets, one was out of order and one didn't have a toilet seat. The hand dryer wasn't working and the water from the hot tap scalded me.
But at least the staff are consistent in their customer (dis)service.
I would never treat any customer of mine whilst working in a pub or restaurant with the lack of courtesy and respect that I have experienced from the staff at the Assembly House. I am disappointed and offended that such a beautiful building, in such a prime position is being run and staffed by inadequately trained people who give the impression that they don't want to be there and who treat their customers like rubbish. This pub would benefit greatly from getting a new set of managers and well trained staff in to realise it's full potential.
My rating is 2/10 and is purely for the qualities of the building, it's position and it's potential.
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It is a beautiful building that is let down entirely by the staff and management. It has been going downhill for a while, and the fact that I have to ask for the 'proper glass' when I buy a drink says a lot. The biscuit was taken on Saturday 7th Feb 09, with the diabolical service and attitude of one staff member in particular, but none of them were great. Not only were there empty glasses and plates all over the place (and it wasn't very busy at all) one girl I was particularly disgusted at, actually used her fingers to put ice in peoples drinks, and when she gave my my change, practically threw it at me. She was also incredibly rude to a lot of other people.
My friends complained about the flat beer, but the staff and manager, actually tried to convince us that 'looks can be deceiving', and that it wasn't really flat. IT WAS FLAT! It would do 100% better under new management, and by getting rid of the rude staff and perhaps actually training the not so rude ones.
I didn't bother eating, as I am sure if they can't serve beer, they can't cook either! I am giving it a 2 rating, and that is ONLY for the building and location (even though they deserve much more, the staff brought it down more than it should be).
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It was busy, but not heaving, during my visit here and I had to wait ages to be served. All but one of the staff seemed to have done a disappearing act. The Abbot was ok and I enjoyed watching the football on the large projector screen at the rear of the pub. The front still has public bar characteristics even though the pub has effectively been knocked through in to one large drinking hall.
This is the sort of pub I would pop into for a quick pint on the way home from work, but as I neither work nor live anywhere near here I can�t see myself returning.
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This is a large corner pub that has been opened up to form a very large drinking area. It is bare-boarded throughout and has a few sofas at the back. Because of its height, size and being uncarpeted, voices can echo a bit when it�s really empty - as it was when I was in there at early lunchtime during the week. However, some impressive late Victorian features remain, and these are worth a good look if you do drop in.
The only ales on were GKIPA and Abbott. The IPA was �3 a pint, which is pretty expensive for a very ordinary beer. It tasted like it was supposed to. The food prices were quite expensive as well. It is probably a very different place with a few more people in, although I would expect the noise level to increase dramatically in that case. I suppose it�s alright, but it�s not really my type of place.
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The Assembly House near Kentish Town tube station has a 300 year old history as a coaching inn. The quite grand exterior dates from the late 19th/early 20th century and its majestic spires (not captured in the photo above) make an unmissable landmark. The interior still retains traces of its original opulence even though it is certainly not as grand as it would have been in its heyday. The front bar is a bit dim despite the almost floor to ceiling windows and was originally several smaller rooms if the old wall lines in the ceiling are anything to go by. Many of the old etched windows have sadly been replaced with plain glass which rather spoils the symmetry. The more lavish bar at the rear contains a wonderful ceiling and some spectacular glass work and mirrors that provide a glimpse of its original opulence. Beyond is an old ballroom with portraits, bookshelves and a skylight. It is not hard to conjure up images of many an elegant ball or celebration that may have taken place here. Whilst the pub certainly has more character that many other pubs in the area, the beers are a bit of a let down with the ubiquitous Green King dominating albeit the prices are reasonable for the area. The pub generally attracts a good mix of people and I have never encountered any hassle in the 20 odd years I have been using the place. Service has always been good even though it can get busy when there is anything on at the Forum 200 yards down the road. Whilst it may not be anything near its original grandeur, it has served me well as a meeting place (after all, that is what the name implies) over the years and will hopefully continue to do so.
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I went in here on Saturday and have to say the bar staff were polite & friendly. Maybe I got them on a good day judging by some of the comments on here but no complaints about them. The food was good too (if a bit on the expensive side.) Spacious with good decor.
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This pub has gone completely downhill in recent months. I work locally and have eaten in this pub about once a week for the last 2 years. In the last couple of months, the food has become gradually worse, but this pales into insignificance against the unbelievably rude staff (in particular the 2 �ladies� who work here in the daytime).
Cold, burnt food, which takes an age to arrive, served with an absence of cutlery and a crappy attitude.
Eat here at your peril.
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Was supposed to be watching The Cult at the cinema (sorry Forum) up the road but the comapny (Chaz ...mmm) and ambience was too much !
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Beautiful interior and excellent (though a touch pricey) food should add up to one of the best pubs in the area. Unfortunately, the service is often terrible and any complaints, however mild, seem to be met with a great deal of aggression and defensiveness by a young man called Jamie who seems to hate all customers. Otherwise, a very good pub. (The burgers, incidentally, are among the best I have ever tasted, and I have tasted quite a few!)
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Paid a lunchtime visit last week.
Although food quality was very good, a lunch comprising a burger, served with chips and coleslaw, plus a half-pint of Greene King IPA came to over �10.
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Really like this place. Beautiful inside and when the sun is shining its bright and airy. Food was a little pricey for what you get but friendly barstaff and good beer.
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Large pub close to Kentish Town station. Has that bare boarded modernised look that so many pubs have nowadays, but there are still some interesting features retained - note particularly the wrought iron work by the entrance and the impressive mirrors. For the real ale buffs, the selection is limited to Greene King IPA and Abbott, but this is not really a drinkers pub. Worth popping in if passing by, but not worth a detour
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A large pub, with a very interesting interior. The kind of place where you could spend a relaxing afternoon reading the paper, or one of the books they have, over a few pints. Unfortunately there was not a particularly good choice of beer when we visited.
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Detoured here on our Northern Line pub crawl as the Oxford was closed. It had just opened so we were almost the only ones there. OK kind of place, tho the pumps were a disapointment - a very bland Greene King IPA. Staff friendly however.
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big sprawling place, handy for the station and with all the requirements for a good jolly up.
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Ate there the other day and was expecting general blah pub food. This place does the quite the reverse, my meal was wonderful and I look forward to going back.
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Best meal I've had in ages, certainly from a pub. Love it in here, great place to meet mates for a chat.
anonymous - 15 Jul 2006 11:19 |
Used to be a dodgy boozing dive which I avoided if I could but now its been given some TLC and is actually quite nice. You can actually notice the lovely interior now whereas before you drank yr dish-water and looked at your feet. Plus, a great poster of Richard Burton in "Villan" on the wall. "By the time he gets round to killing you, its an act of mercy......" I want it!
anonymous - 11 Jul 2006 11:16 |
Quite like it in here, can get busy prior to a gig at the Forum, but not bad and more space than the Oxford down the road.Not one for connisseurs of great draught ale though.
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I've lived in Kentish Town for many years and used to avoid this place like the plague, but I popped in recently and was pleasantly surprised. The beer selection is great, decent pint of Leffe!
Staff are friendly and the whole place has a great atsmosphere now. Tried the food recently too and thats top notch, may have found a new local cos the Pineapple is not what it used to be
anonymous - 5 Jun 2006 14:25 |
Refurb is ok but it's blanded out a bit. Shows some football despite an initial ban. Was the best place to watch Sky but they have this frustrating policy of showing the game but turning off the commentary. Beer good too.
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Pub has just been done up inside, and doesnt look too bad. Green King I.P.A. still on hand pull, still OK. The female bar staff are friendly, and the whole pub seems to have "cleaned its act up" generally - also cheaper than the Oxford or the Pineapple.
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The food is fantastic and the prices look high until you see the portions - they are large and worth the money. It is a wonderful place!
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I have lived in London for a long time and I agree with some of the previous comments that this pub is over priced. Me thinks that the previous post may have something to do with the pub hence the lavish praise!
anonymous - 26 Sep 2005 15:46 |
Obviously people complaining about prices haven't been in London very long. Any decent pub that is inviting, looks good with decent staff, has to charge. I reviewed this pub last week and found it quite delightful, and I'm sorry the prices reflect every other decent pub I visit. Area means absolutely nothing in regards to what a pub has to charge, the company that owns the Assembly House have a 15 year lease and have to purchase their beer from, in this case Greene King, if you want to complain, complain to them. This penny pinching attitude where people feel hard done by if a pint is �3.10 instead of �3.00 is a waste of space, go drink out of a can if you want cheap beer. By the way, the food was absolutely wonderful when I ate there, and yes it was priced high for a pub but I got what I paid for - a delicious meal. Will be recommending it!
anonymous - 26 Sep 2005 15:33 |
Likeable but expensive pub in a prime location for Kentish Town tube and The Forum. Nice building with a good high ceiling and plenty of very elegant looking old fashioned windows. Nice place for a quiet pint most of the time but can be very crowded if there is a big gig on down the road. Bar staff are reasonably friendly and have at least some idea of how to do their job and there is a fair amount of choice in the drinks department. The major downside is the price, which even for this area is more than a touch steep.
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This a very expensive pub for what you get. The new management are obviously tyring to atract a new type of customer. I found this place soulless and cold and I dont mean heat wise. I shall be only popping in if it happens to be raining and I have forgotten my umbrella. As for the previous posting saying it's "a 100 times better", perhaps the person should have let their guide dog do the posting.
anonymous - 13 Sep 2005 10:04 |
Wow! This place looks great, 100 times better than the dingy place it was before, never went in before because it just always looked so depressing and filthy. I'll definetly be returning.
anonymous - 8 Sep 2005 11:49 |
�2.90 for a pint for ordinary Fosters, god knows what the super chilled stuff costs, very expensive for what it is. No expence spared on the refurb then(surly some mistake)!!!
anonymous - 7 Sep 2005 15:16 |
The Assembly House re-opens to the public on Tuesday the 6th of September, under new management.
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This pub is currently undergoing a refurb and is closed.
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This place is distinctly ok. You'll probably get a seat most weeknights. Nothing to write home about.
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I ordered 3 pints of Hen and one IPA. The Hen was not at its best and exhibited a 'cheesy' characteristic normally associated with poor hygiene. I politely asked for the Hen to be exchanged for the decent IPA and was told "No". I won't bore you with excessive detail but no amount of discussion could move the frankly arrogant manager. It was Sunday evening and the pub was relatively full, so not in going there again will mean little or nothing to the manager. Do yourself a favour and don't go in there as well.
P.S. We are not 'beer bores' but do drink a lot of good, well served, real beer.
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After 8pm, probably the only pub in the area you're guarenteed to get a seat (unless Arsenal are playing away). Watch out for added fun of riot vans on Saturdays - if you're lucky :)
It's also v handy to find from the station which makes it ideal for meeting people in.
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this pub is quite rough.
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A gin palace, now listed. Has had many incarnations, presently a better one.At least no more stripping on the bar (inc. the fat manager)!
Best real ale in Kentish Town. Can't keep staff and a tendency to bar people on
very thin grounds. Very good for football-2 big screens + 4 regular TVs.
anonymous - 18 Dec 2004 20:39 |
Large pub, so handy for meeting mates before gigs at the Forum. This has a flip side of course - prepare yourself with a hefty wait at the bar up to about 8pm...
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Amazing building. Apart from that there's nothing they could do worse. Absolutely awful place.
Rob - 3 Jun 2004 10:49 |
not bad, greenhouse-esque heat in the daytime though.
anonymous - 2 Jun 2004 16:15 |
Devoid of atmosphere partly because it's a bit large and has a high, but nice, ceiling. Nothing hugely wrong with the place apart from that.
Have never had a problem with the staff. They didn't have a problem with me and some mates bringing in cans of lager (which we explained were for a party we were on our way to). Some pubs might not be so accomodating.
A good post-funeral pub.
Steve - 17 Mar 2004 14:27 |
Bit boring. Few good beers, but with no real atmosphere. Try Auntie Annies or even Jorene Celeste instead.
James - 27 Feb 2004 09:50 |
Quite possibly the worst pub in Kentish Town. The staff are extremely unfriendly. My friend actually got barred from this pub on St. George's Day last year for singing the National Anthem!!
Chris - 26 Feb 2004 14:57 |
Not impressed really, the place feels far too empty even when it's full. Prices are steep and the food is standard chain-pub fare. I only visited the place a handful of times even though I lived on Leighton road for two years! Visit the Bull & Gate across the road.
Brendan - 15 Feb 2004 14:48 |
has been done up so prices have followed suit.if you fancy a quiet beer this is the place as no one else goes here since house of fun(the forum finished sat nights)
robert - 6 Aug 2003 00:28 |
Nice ceiling.
Joe - 3 Apr 2003 17:25 |
The Assembly house is not Kentish Town's best pub. Try the Admiral Mann, (McMullen's)Hargrave Place (walk up Leighton Road and turn right when you hit Brecknock Road), or alternatively try the Dartmouth Arms (Free House with good and adventurous food) York Rise (walk up Highgate Road past the Forum) until you come to the lights at Gordon House Road. Turn right into Chetwynd Road then turn left when you get to the bottom). You'll be glad you found both pubs!
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Just seen 'Villain' on TCM and, yes, the pub is featured in a couple of scenes and seems much larger on screen. The decor seems to have changed little although the layout of the bar seems slightly different. It would be interesting to know if any of the regulars can remember the filming, or were extras.
Paul Curran - 22 Aug 2002 20:00 |
Unfortunately, in the late 1980s, panes of the fantastic window glass carved with flowers and birds was knocked out of the windows at the front and side. A couple of token pieces were left. This glorious old pub was so stunning, I still find it incredible that some stupid brewing company should think knocking out pane after pane of Victorian glass was a good idea.
Recently, it has been taken over by new management (Weatherspoon's I think) and they have made a nice job of restoring what is left of this pub's former glory, but they cannot restore the glass.
I've also heard that Camden Council have insisted that a couple of the beautiful carved mirrors inside must come down because they're cracked, yet another nail in the coffin of this Victorian wonder. Of course, Camden Council hates anything Victorian and has long waged a campaign to rid Kentish Town of anything old or beautiful in the area. This is why the council did not stop the corporate vandalism in the 1980s and, of course, will not restore the mirrors.
The Assembly House was built on the site of a much older pub. In the 18th century, Kentish Town was a rural retreat. The pub used to have a marbel table which sat outside given to it by a grateful visitor who had recovered from an illness by taking the waters at Kentish Town. The table was inscribed with his name and thanks. This table survived in Victorian Assembly House until the early 1980s when it disappeared. No doubt the greasy landlord who ran the pub at that time made a fat profit from it. I wrote to the brewery which owned the pub then, but, of course, they weren't interested. I'm pleased I've come across this site and I've been able to say my bit about the pub, and I'll be looking out for 'Villain' having read the other comments.
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I've also seen the film 'Villain' that the pub features in. They should try to get hold of some stills or other memorobilia. There are certainly 'Villain' posters on the web.
anonymous - 18 Jul 2002 14:28 |
Also strongly rumoured (mainly by the regulars) that Karl Marx wrote part of Das Capital there.
anonymous - 2 Jun 2002 14:51 |
Nice pub, but they don't seem to realise that Richard Burton used it as a location for his 1971 film 'Villain' Great interior shots (the place has not changed much !)and Liz Taylor apparently pulled pints in the breaks between shooting.
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