Clockwork, Islingtonback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Now known as the Lexington.
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Yeah, its not a great as it thinks it is, to be honest. A little too cool for it's own good. The layout is unsual, but not relaxing. Slim Jims on Upper Street - or even Big Red on Holloway Road - are better approximations of an American style bar.
On a side note, the petulant argumentative attitude of michaelbuffalo is rather off putting, I must say. There are ways to get your point across, inform and educate about your venue, rather than sounding off and telling people to go to Wetherspoons. If you're like that on the internet, what are you like serving behind the bar? Manners, man.
I also find the phrase "boutique beers" irksome. Overall, a middling 6/10, alas.
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I have patronised this establishment on two occasions, purely for the extremely enjoyable music quiz. The venue is a large square room with an unusual layout - tables and chairs on opposite sides, sofas and low tables in the centre and the bar occupying an entire third side, bizarrely positioned against one of the street facing walls. Huge selection of bourbon whiskey, if that's your thing, Amstel �3.20, Guinness �3.40 and a fridge stocked with small bottles of American ale. I can't remember the name of the one bottle I tried - it was delicious, but expensive at �3.60 for roughly half a pint. I'm not sure what MichaelBuffalo means by 'boutique beers'. I saw Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in the fridge which I drank on draught on Saturday.
It is patently obvious to me that BitterShurn is referring to Real Ale, something MichaelBuffalo clearly knows nothing about. I don't recall seeing an ale of any description on a handpump so would love to know what he's talking about.
Largely young clientele that look like they're in bands (and may well be) and yes, on both my visits there were a number of young men with Howard Moon-style growths on their upper lips.
I shall return to this bar (I can't really call it a pub) again for it's excellent quiz, but unless you have a lot of money, I would avoid.
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MichaelBuffalo - I think I understand what you have written there, though it is customary to use capital letters where convention dictates. Since you have found the time to log on to Wikipedia and look up the word 'draught', I will clarify. As a beer drinker, when I say 'draught' I of course mean unpasteurised cask beer, hand-pumped. I apologise humbly for being unclear. I did not notice your solitary handpump. Where was it and what was it pumping? Perhaps you could also write on this site how much it costs? I am happy to learn of your great wealth in thinking that �10.70 is a good price for two tiny bottles of pale ale and one pint. I suspect that your good fortune in being so well off will cushion the blow when the pub has to close or change ownership due to the prices. Your prices far exceed any nearby pub I can think of. What on earth is a boutique import anyway?
Warning to any other users of this website - members of staff may be artificially boosting the rating of this venue. I'm sure you'll make your own decision, but be aware...
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bittershurn, you really need to get out more! 10.70 is actually pretty normal considering the bottled beers you bought were boutique imports from the states not available in your local tesco!
and draught beer is ANY beer from a tap and there is an ale on a handpump and always has been. get your facts straight! john smiths and tetleys has never been there and never will be. Are you sure you went there?
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Errr, MichaelBuffalo, sorry if you have taken that review personally. What a strange thing to suggest that people on this website would criticise a pub without actually having been there...I clearly have as I took part in the quiz, described the inside and had the dubious pleasure of buying a round. You do not have any draught beer, unless you have installed them since the 12th January. Tetleys, John Smiths and all that heavily processed gunk is not beer. Nor is lager. Draught beer is pulled by pump, not tap. I'm rather surprised that a barman doesn't know this. Nothing can persuade me that �10.70 is a good price for one pint and two bottles. I think the bottles were about a third of a pint. I don't think that �10.00 for a pint, however nice it is, is a bargain. I paid it and, if I were to go again, would doubtless do the same, but don't tell me that they need such a huge mark up in price to make selling them worthwhile. I agree with your colleague that people should go and try the pub themselves. That review, which was neither negative nor positive is my opinion and, going by the other recent reviews, one shared by other people who write on this site. Commenting on it when you work there is petulent, though I respect your honesty in admitting that you actually work there. Thanks for your invite to go to a Wetherspoons, but I like a particular sort of pub and neither that nor the Lexington are it. I think I will go to the King Charles I, which is nearby.
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Yeah it's OK, just full of knobs with moustaches!
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This venue is now called THE LEXINGTON
it's been taken over by totally new people, has beer on tap, new decor and if you don't like the look of it from some of these reviews (some from 3 years ago!) have a look at the place now...
thanks
bodelia
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i work at this pub and don't actually believe any of these reviewers have even been in. it's a new place and had been wonderfully refurbished and we've had draught beer since october.
the imported american boutique beers from micro brewers in the states are expensive for all the reasons just stated!
go to the wetherspoons
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Whoops, meant to select 6 not 7...No pub without draught and with such a dead-eyed clientele can have a 7.
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As already noted, now called the 'Lexington'. Truly bizarre layout as it seems to be an old theatre and still has gigs upstairs. Long bar altogether free of draught beer, though it does stock some tiny but credible bottles of American ale. One pint of Guiness and two pales came to an astonishing �10.70. I think people with a moustache get some sort of frequent user discount. Certainly every bewhiskered male in a grey jacket and red Trilby seemed to hand over a plastic card at the bar. As a man merely unshaven since 0700 a.m., for my hirsuteness I was allowed to use napkins to wipe down the puddles on the bar surface where my quiz sheet was to be placed. The quizmaster stood at what I can only describe as a raised pulpit. He had a Yamaha keyboard and made full use of its preprogrammed drum settings from 'Bosa-Nova' to 'Pop 4'. I was disappointed that he didn't find a chance to play that Chinese one all the Casios used to have. The quiz was enjoyable if brief and designed for the 'ironic' partaker. Brilliant round where you get someone who draws like a small child to sketch some album covers that people have to guess. Less good round with a Celebrity Big Brother round, though I did enjoy the manic rendition of 'You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)' to a Yamaha 'Rhumba' backing, Margarita Pracatan style. Modern toilets with a selection of buttons to press for your flushing needs. I selected the smallest buton for short flush as anything else suggests that you have done something a bit anti-social. Take it home, people.
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Well, this pub is now called The Lexington. I paid my first visit last night, for a pop quiz, run by Rough Trade. We (my two mates and I) were thumped in the quiz but, judging by comments made by the quizmaster, the place seemed to be populated by music biz insiders so I wasn't surprised. Oh and Mark Ronson was there briefly.
Anyway, we wuz robbed in the quiz. The people marking our scoresheet cocked it up big time. It wouldn't have made any difference to the outcome but still! Grr! And JEEZUS! What a bunch of posing Hoxtonite knob-ends in the clientele! Since when have moustaches been legal?
As for the beer, well, as previously stated, there isn't any. Some Guinness - reasonably priced, well-poured - was all I could drink there.
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charm free zone
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Visited Fridaqy 8 June. Looked so promising from the outside, but disappointing. The DJ must have the patience of a saint - that or no life - as they spent 1hr 1/2 playing to herself. Beer was good though and for a 'posh pub' it wasn't overpriced. Won't be going back in a hurry though.
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Gawd preserve us from pubs with "bouncers" on the door. This place has serious delusions of grandeur. I went there last night to see a couple of bands playing and was told I couldn't come in because I was "wearing jogging bottoms"! I'm a 47 year old white guy who has never uttered a cross word in my life let alone be violent, have a criminal record or whatever " people in jogging bottoms" are supposed to be prone to, I wonder how fast our guardian of the customers would disappear if a bunch of Yardies pull up armed with uzis!? I don't think I missed much, I had already gathered that the bar has no beer, but can we please knock this bullshit on the head.
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this used to be a realy good bar, nice clientele, great music, friendly staff, what happened ? It has become the opposite of it's once promising self, some may say that it's still a good venue for a late drink, I beg to differ, your better off at home with a good bottle of claret and some chilled sounds playing in the background at least at home you dont have to put up with surly bar staff
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God what a dive this place has become. I used to drink in here before the "revamped" it. It is now horrible, the decor is terrible and the loos leave a lot to be desired, broken basins and stuff. What a crap pub
anonymous - 28 Nov 2006 11:40 |
Very bad. Bad music and bad staff.
letty - 28 Nov 2006 10:19 |
Clockwork's downstairs DJ seems to believe that the more you drink the more deaf you become. By the end of the night it is impossible to talk to the person next to you unless you are screaming in their ear. Apart from that, the cocktails are good and the sofas are comfy. Bonus points to the bar staff for changing the projected cartoons to Transformers when requested. I live virtually next door to this bar and it is either empty or rammed but it is a good end-of-night venue if you have been traipsing up & down Upper St all night.
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Downstairs is a pleasant enough bar, very comfy sofas, table football always a bonus before a show. Upstairs is the venue bit which is of course appropriately dirtier and grimier (you don't want anywhere too clean or shiny for rock'n'roll). Nice size room, nice stage, from what I've seen so far the standard of bands has been "variable" but both times we've played here we've had a good sound ourselves and it's been a fun gig.
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Gigs are a bit poor. Staff are rude.Full of kids.A decent range of beers is only saving grace.
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I really like this bar. It's cool but not pretentious, the staff are pleasant and helpful, great and varied music but not played so loud that you can't chat.
I must venture upstairs and check out the gigs sometime.
anonymous - 11 Jan 2006 13:49 |
Clockwork Islington has become a top live music venue featuring the best of emerging bands, spearheaded by MGriff Promotions Thursday nights.
It's best to check music listing/press for details as other promoters do different things on differet nights - but dj's downstairs as String says, and open til 2am most nights.
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Visited this last night (as part of our Monopoly Pub Crawl). Although loungey bars are normally a bit too cool for my liking, I have to say this is marvellous.A number of interesting beers on tap and in bottles and a brilliant selection of whiskies.Nice mellow music and a relaxed atmosphere.We were impressed.
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nice bar on the Pentonville Road,recently opened, good selection of drinks, great music, Las Vegas lounge, hip hop, classic soul super friendly bar staff, good bar snacks, table football and classic films playing in the background. Large bar but still has an intimate feel to it, i get the impression that this is a pre club venue, by the clientel but it has an all inclusive vibe about it and i couldn't imagin anyone feeling out of place here providing you come with a nice and chilled attitude. Well worth checking out.
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