please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Just checked out the refurb - Gothic London meets Larry Grayson......god help the doomed pubs of Old London Town. Another Highgate pub bites the dust...very very soon there will be NOTHING left.
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Large open plan pub with outside seating area at the front, visited on a Saturday afternoon when it was busy with drinkers and eaters.
Four real ale on tap, tried the portobello brewery "star" beer which was a very well kept and a reasonable price at £3.40 a pint.
Very pleasant bar staff and a all round good drinking experience.
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There was nobody else in this pub when I visited last Thursday afternoon. The barmaid was fairly pleasant. The interior is quite attractive, with an inverted L-shaped bar. 4 ales were on - Redemption Hotspur & Pale Ale, Fullers London Pride & St Austell Tribute. I was also surprised to see 2 ciders from Sandford Orchards - Bumbleberry & Devon Scrumpy. Far better than I expected.
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Sunday Times 15/4/12 The best pub in North London, voted a mile better than the tourist filled Flask and the spaniards.
This is true and the landlord is a great bloke but i still feel its a little overated but we are blessed with great pubs in Highgate and this is a top boozer in anytown.
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This is undoubtably a great find. As far as trad pubs go in Highgate it doesn't get much better.The Mordue Spring Tyne was exceptional. The beer, comfort and friendly service kept us from continuing on for dinner. I wish we had tried their Tapas rather than launch on up the road to the Red Lion and Bull.
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Bounded into the Wrestlers at 7.04 on 23/12/11 at the start of a Christmas crawl of Highgate pubs. I had a STUNNING half of Wandle. The pub was absolutely heaving with laughing, friendly customers having a fantastic time. EXCELLENT.
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This place is, quite simply, the best pub in Highgate. A short walk from the village the Wrestlers boasts a beautiful, elegant bar with traditional surroundings and never fails to deliver.
The beer is excellent and there is always a wonderful selection of real ales and guest bitters, the extensive menu is both excellent and reasonably priced with their Sunday roasts being exemplary.
The jewels in the crown of the Wrestlers however, are the wonderful bar-staff! You could not ask for better service from the officious and friendly team who make sure your every visit is a welcome one and who are pleasure to deal with. In an industry where good bar-staff are hard to find these guys are the beating heart of the pub and are an absolute credit to the place.
I recently had the pleasure of talking to the manager who impressed me with his enthusiasm and innovative approach to the running of the business. Their total focus appears to be driven by customer satisfaction/enjoyment and is to be heartily commended.
Try it!!
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Deceptively-large pub away from the main Highgate village but this doesn't seem to have dented its popularity as it was rammed on Saturday night. Large L-shape with a big covered outdoor area at the back. 4 ales on including Tribute at �3.30 a pint, Sambrook's Wandle and London Pride. Friendly staff and opens late, so a good place to visit if you're in the area and like ale
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A weird, weird place. Nicely furnished and feels like a cosy, traditional English pub but with some very strange staff. One guy with silly hair, a Russell Brand wannabe, keeps staring at everyone as if some sort of bizarre extra from Clockwork Orange and has destroyed my enjoyment of the place on any occasion I have visited.The other staff aren't much friendlier either. Still decent enough pub with a few good ales but appalling looking Guinness that isn't worth trying
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The most overated pub ive ever come across,staff quality varies,very middle class all rugby jumpers and white faces,the sunday lunch is excellent tho.
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Best pub in Highgate.
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Great pub with pleasant staff but last Sunday afternoon visit was ruined by the wall of white noise emanating from the huge amounts of young children present - interrupting both grown up adult conversation regarding matters of crucial political import of our times and beer appreciation alike.
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It's great. If you can afford it.
Not much else to say really.
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An unexpected pleasure of a pub.
Lovely building, good character, nice customers. Nice three pints of a Mexican beer on draft with a Lime taste in back.
Food looked good too. Staff intelligent and welcoming; Aussie, Ginger local and attractive blonde girl. Well worth a visit, just to see the art gallery of work of a local artist upon walls. Not very good,sorry to say; had a laugh at price tags!! Your having a laugh? Mind you, good on you if you can sell any at that price.
In all, a pub worth traipsing to if your round those parts; sadly a Punch tavern business. Hopefully a decent brewersuch as Fullers will snap it up;certainly worth it.
anonymous - 26 Jul 2010 11:04 |
Stumbled upon this pub recently and was pleasantly surprised of the excellent service and delicious food. Tapas are served there in a very charming atmosphere with lots of character. Had a glass of shiraz that complimented the food quite nicely. Not usually in Highgate often, however if I am in the area I will certainly come back.
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Im also a Scouse and very proud of that. I havent had any nosh in years though so I dont know why I'm so fat. But I digress.
Before I fell in the love with the guvnor of the Wrestlers (tall, slim, very charming Irish man) I was a huge fan of the Wetherspoons hostelry nearby - its classy atmosphere and wine list are really very underrated.
Like everone else I'd like, if I may, to harp on about the Sunday nosh. It is, I confess, rather good. If I wasnt as tight as a Tyke I would regulalry stuff my spotty fat mush with Wrestlers nosebag.
Free parking for moody push bikes, beer in wrapping paper. I thoroughly recommend the place.
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Im a very very fat person.
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Proper old-fashioned battlecruiser, but with a contemporary twist, and the craic is mighty. Bit unsure when my fiancee, Carla got a job in a pub, but my fears have proved groundless, even if I have to travel from Kennington(at least it is on the northern line). My only gripe would be that there are a lot of children in there on Sundays. Won't be saying that when we take ours in tho!
benda - 22 Sep 2009 18:17 |
I shifted my patronage from the flask purely becauseof the excellent vegetablist options on the menu(all ther more surprising given that the excellent chef is Polish; a race not known for veggie cooking!) The only prob i have dicovered with this gaff is that it is so convivial and relaxing that one loses track of time. Indeed, so, er...'relaxed' did I become that i have no recollection of leaving, or giving my poor wife a black eye, so won't be back for a while. :(
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read about this place in the Ham & High Camp. what a revelation! don't live far away, but never considered going in because of the unprepossessing exterior. Just shows appearances can be deceptive. Excellent beer, bonkersly wide-ranging wine list. Spent a very jolly Sunday in here. Never seen happier looking bar staff either; they seem wedded to the place. Can see me becoming a regular (If only to gawp at the lovely Ali!)
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lol at Tinkerbell. You sound upset about something. Me and some of my wives go there regularly, and they all love it. As you all know, I don't touch Satan's evil invention (alcohol), but we enjoy a Sunday afternoon nibble, and have found The Wrestlers to be the most by far the most convivial in the area. I dread the onset of Ramadan (22nd August) as 6 weeks without my roast will be hard to bear. I will have to make do by roasting a few infidels!
allah - 22 Aug 2009 12:57 |
I have been going to the Wrestlers for a long time and have always really enjoyed the cosy atmosphere in winter and Sunday roasts. HOWEVER... me and my partner went tor Sunday lunch recently on a lovely summer's day and it was very disappointing. We had roast chicken and the chicken was absolutely awful, reconstituted rubbish which was tasteless. There are lots of really nice places to eat in the area (The Stag pub near Gospel Oak) which don't cut corners in quality. I must say we shall never be returning for Sunday lunch to The Wrestlers again,which is a shame.
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Made the long trek here after reading the positive reviews on BITE. Have to say was disappointed. A tad too modern for me with sofas and the like so synonomous with pubs these days.
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really doesn't get much better than this, heard it gets busy but it was most pleasant this saturday afternoon.
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This is a very nice pub, as was the barmaid that served me a great pint of Pride. Abbot, Greene King IPA and Black Sheep were also available alongside a selection of standard and premium lagers.
The pub has a dark wood frontage with lattice windows and doors that open out on a nice hot day. The pub is laid out well with dark wooden furniture and has a huge fireplace by the entrance. There are some picnic tables located on the forecourt outside and there is also a courtyard out the back. There is a plasma screen, but it was off and I saw no sport advertised and the ubiquitous collection of gastro chalk boards adorn the walls listing the food and wine available.
I really liked this pub and will definitely return when next in Highgate.
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Absolutely lovely pub with fantastic, attentative service. Well worth a visit to see the interior alone. Very popular on a Sunday due to their excellent roast dinners.
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Continues to improve - one of the best pubs in North London for atmosphere and service. Standard ales but extremely well-kept - feels like a local but not full of cliques. Worth a walk or a bus ride.
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How all pubs should be, worth the walk!
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Absolutely first class pub.....one of the best in London by far.
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I am the daughter of PATRICK MORRIS (composer,musicion), who died last year. He was found dead in his house in 2a Southwoodlane on 16. Jan. 2008. The circumstances are rather suspicious and anyone who knew him and can tell me anything about when they saw him last and how he was found and who found him.
Please, please inform me.
I am living abroad and will come to London soon.
Grateful for any information and links.
Emma- Serena
[email protected]
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Traditional boozer with a contemporary touch. Lovely log fire and bar staff that smile. Loved their spanish omelette on my last visit and they served my belgian white beer in a frozen glass! That's plenty to keep me happy.
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lovely ol' boozer - open fire, good selection of drinks & if you ask them nicely they'll make you a mean cocktail... friendly atmosphere, open late - what more could you ask for?
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I'm looking forward to the winter months, and the only reason is the lovely big fire that's on at the wrestlers. do prefer it in the week as it's quieter, but I must say one of this pub's strengths is its excellent service. Very friendly and attentive staff, the model of how a pub should be run.
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Fantastic pub! Very quiet during the week, but friday, saturday and sunday nights are always busy. The bar staff are very friendly, there is a great mix of customers (including some celebrities..), and the beer is of great quality, even though the selection is small.
However, the piece de resistance is the food. Tapas midweek is superb, but the Sunday roast is absolutely incredible. I now hit the place every sunday without fail as the roast is as good as anything you could cook at home. And the helpings are as large as need be! 10/10!!
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Remains a welcoming, traditional pub. Unexciting ale range but all well-kept and a sufficient range of other options to drink. Pleasant garden and decent seating area outside - and a mix of clientele who don't bray as much as those in some other local establishments.
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One of the few remaining pubs in Highgate with a traditional atmosphere, now that the Victoria and the Red Lion and Sun have 'gone modern'. Only one or two real ale pumps but not bad beer for London. Basically a cheaper and less pretentious version of the Flask.
Not sure about public schoolboys in chinos though. Don't public schoolboys wear frayed jeans like everyone else these days...?
anonymous - 30 Nov 2007 15:23 |
Now the best pub in Highgate after the awful changes made to the nearby Red Lion and Sun. Can only hope this pub does not go the same way!
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Best pub in Highgate without a doubt. Great place for a pint with the paper or a night out with your friends.
There's a lot of history within the four walls of this place and you can't help but be taken by the surroundings - all dark wood and candles.
Being Highgate way it often gets packed with braying chino wearing public schoolboys, but that's a small price to pay for such a great drinking hole.
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Fantastic atmosphere in here, and I know it's well loved by many. Definitely looking forward to another visit soon.
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Best Pub in Highgate with a nice crowd and good ales, and interior. Definatly recomended.
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Great pub. Nice barstaff and clientel. Agree with all the positive comments below. Just one little suggestion..........................FOR F***S SAKE, WILL SOMEBODY CLEAN THE F***ING GLASSES, THEY ARE DISGUSTINGLY FILTHY. If you don't believe me, go in there order a drink, wipe the rim of the glass with a clean tissue, then examine the brown scum on the tissue. Nice!
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It's lovely inside, good service and usually just enough people (though I've never been on a Friday or Saturday night). As a visitor to Highgate, I must admit I always used to go to the Flask, but now I'm living there I've picked this as my local. You don't get the really pretentious types in here, I have found so far.
bethm - 21 Sep 2006 17:47 |
loved the interior of this place. Nice cider on tap. nice touch of curch candles on the tables which gave the place a nice feel.
anonymous - 13 Sep 2006 10:13 |
Good, old style interior and a usual selection of real ales; Youngs, IPA and Abbots.
Had modern but subtle music, surprising how you can fit Mylo into the background without sounding out of place. Was very quiet, but if you liked it you'd pick it up- very clever.
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Perfect pub for all the ladies to meet in so we chaps can have a drink and a grown up natter without them cackling away in your earhole at 100db, spilling their Bacardi breezers, and generally behaving in a puerile and embarassing manner...as they tend to do in this pub. Stay away chaps!
anonymous - 1 Apr 2006 18:10 |
Again a safe and reliable pub where ladies can meet without being confronted with testerone ridden cretins confronting you.
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In Highgate for the first time in ages.
Top of the list of pubs visited was the Wrestlers the bottom being Red Lion and Sun with The Gatehouse being somewhere in between.
The Wrestlers, in my view beats the others hands down on quality of service, the well kept beer along with a nice atmosphere. The Gatehouse, inter-alia, was fine but did not quite do it for me.
Finally but least we see that the RLAS is not accepting any comments from its customers, Strange that isn't it
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Personally I love this place... except on a Friday night. Fantastic, cosy (Diagon Alley-esque) atmosphere makes it great midweek, but too 'cosy' during peak drinking time.
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A fine choice when out in Highgate, good Youngs and Fullers, reasonable wine list, nice atmosphere with candles and flexible closing. The odd lock-in wasn't unknown in the past either...
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could be better, some nice touches but don't understand why people rave about it. staff are surly, and the beers ordinary.
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I totally agree
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Great atmosphere, great beer - best pub in Highgate!
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The Wrestlers' is not the best pub in the world. That's a ridiculous thing to say. It is an attractive, dark wood panelled boozer with a good selection of spirits and an uninspired selection of beers. The small pub garden is right next to the toilet and, to be quite frank, it stinks. The bar staff are surly. Also, I have recently heard that it has been infested by barflies.
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The Wrestlers is quite simply magnificent. Well kept beer and a good range of wines combine with a relaxed but sophisticated ambience to make this my favourite pub in the world. I recently had to move away from the area and I miss the Wrestlers more than anything.
Alastair - 11 Aug 2004 14:47 |
if your a traditionalist, go during the day or week-day evenings
dan - 25 May 2004 16:46 |
The best pub in the world - nothing more to say.
Jeremy - 9 Feb 2004 17:34 |
I nominated this pub and now I wish I hadn't! Its far too busy to be enjoyable nowadays and I've actually stopped going on weekend nights! I'm not telling where we go instead!
Robin McConnell - 26 Jan 2004 13:03 |
A friend and I sometimes visit this pub of a Friday evening and we would concur with the other punters that this pub makes one feel happy. The brew is good, service excellent, ambience relaxed without losing that lots going-on atmosphere. There is often a contingent of teachers from the Highgate Schools which is always interesting.
Rup Rahman - 15 Jan 2004 18:06 |
I go here with my mates most days and one of them works behind the bar.
It's the most pubby pub in Highgate since the Angel's recent overhaul. The decor, ambience and drinks are superb.
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I live south of the rive, but I make the long journey to visit this pub. The food is excellent, the beer is always well kept.
Paul - 15 Jun 2003 11:21 |
In my opinion a controversial omission of Highgate as a good drinking area of London. The Wrestlers is the best, although nearby the Flask (not to be confused with a pub of the same name across Hampstead Heath), the Angel and the Prince of Wales are all close contenders. These pubs are some of the best I have ever been in and are quite literally the main reason why I now live in Highgate!
Robin McConnell - 21 May 2003 12:05 |
