please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Not sure about the relaunch, music a bit tinny, local Brewery Redemption's beer not at its best, didn't linger....
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CLOSED. Now reopened as Brou-ha-ha
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Popped into The Ladder yesterday and it's had a makeover!!
Much better decor now, new Chef, same friendly staff and good beers.
We will defo be coming in to try the food, the menu looked really good. I'll post again when we have tried it.
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I've been in here several times over the years since it opened and I would say it has improved a lot. From the outside, it doesn't seem very promising because it is a conversion from a shop, so it doesn't appear very pub-like at first glance from the street. However, inside is quite different. It feels homely and lively, but not too much so. Whereas before it felt a bit like a bar/restaurant, it now feels like a proper pub to me, although food is still available. Beer-wise, they seem to have Courage Directors as a fixture, with one guest ale. On this recent occasion it was a Brains seasonal beer called Fir King Good, so I plumped for that while my wife had the Directors. Both pints were excellent. I also found the service to be very friendly and efficient. My only criticism is that I don't like the music selection. In the first place I recognized a lot of the same tracks as on a previous visit several weeks before (perhaps as many as 75% of the tracks I heard over an hour or so on each visit were the same). Also, there seems to be a strong bias towards what sounded like late '90s quasi hip hop instrumentals, or something like that, and it is not a style of music I have any nostalgia for.
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really friendly little bar. female and gay friendly. good choice of music.
what's not to love, really?
my local. 'spose i'm biased.
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I thought i'd leave it a while before I commented on pubs and bars again. Glad to see this bar survive. I drink in here often and am always amazed how friendly the staff are. The atmosphere is so welcoming and customer focused. The customer mix is really diverse and I have never seen any trouble. Because of this It must be one of the most female & Gay friendly bars in the area. The amount of effort I have seen them put into special nights is worthy of comment. Everything from St Patricks Day to Gay Pride. My girlfriend loves the place. Well done guys keep it up.
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Been a while since I've been in and a few changes have been made. The decor is much improved and feels a lot more welcoming and less clinical now.
Great to see Stephen and co are all still here and the Redemption Ales were great. Will be back Sunday for the Carvery Mmmmmm.
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Directors is always fabulous. Sunday lunch is a high point in my week, especially half roast chicken week. This bar attracts the nice people in the area, no pool tables or sport screens probably help. Service comes with a smile and the garden at the back looks lovely this year.
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Was in last night. Three real ales on, tried two - Theakstons Bitter and Directors. Both very good. as usual freindly and efficient service, and mixed laid back crowd. this with the Old Ale Emporium and the Salisbury make for a decent Green Lanes pub crawl - with the option of food at anyone of the excellent Turkish/Kurdish restaurants close by.
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Went here the other day on a return to London/old stomping grounds. Not seen it before - converted from a shop. Relaxed, friendly staff, easygoing all round. Nice pint of Merrie Monk, with other ales on the go too. Had a Sunday lunch - they do a veggie option and you can load up in an all-you-can-eat stylee at the carvery. Nice one! Recommended
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I spend a lot of time crawling around pubs and I sometimes find that within the sea of dross there are a couple of gems and, as mr.toes.5_ points out, this pub along with its neighbour The Old Ale Emporium are a couple of diamonds.
I think that the best way to sum up this shop conversion is to say that it is a happy place with friendly staff and a good selection of music.
Along with the Directors, Sunchaser and Honey Bee was a standard draught selection and Amstel.
This is a good bar and I would recommend it to others.
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I take it back, still �2.60 for a pint, it must have been a one off mistake!
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Have the prices gone up or is it just my imagination? Being a discount card carrier I was recently charged �2.75 for my Amstell and not �2.60, the 'Happy Hour' is rapidly becoming a joke considering that it used to be �2 a pint and that the 'Old Ale' sells a pint of 'Becks' for �2.60 at any time.
Anyway i'll still frequent the place as some of the regulars 'Big Paul' et al are a joy.
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This is one of only two pubs on green lanes that serve drinkable ale at affordable prices . The Directors is in superb condition as is the young irish girl that runs the place . They stock the Full pint and the London Drinker as does the other pub .When on green lanes pop into both pubs the other one of course is the Old Ale Emporium
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As a pub it is not anything particularly special, but the food was very good and the staff were very friendly. There was a decent selection of beer but the interior just lacks a bit of character. The owners have done well with what they have though. The food was very good and service quick and affable. A nice place for an afternoon meal with a pint but not cosy enough to settle in for a long night, good marks for effort though.
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I luv this place and now with a quick paint job it feels a lot warmer, the big church pew and high tables make it a lot easier for us all to sit together, great move. Dont get rid of the Directors, best ale ever.
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In for the first time in a while on Saturday night. Decent atmosphere, good service and the Bomabardier was excellent. Was glad when this place opened and its maintained its position as a cracking little bar restaurant on a street well catered for by excelent kebab shops but few decent bar restaurants.
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Great pub - nice food - lovely staff - good cocktails as well as good beer.
Only issue is that it is somethimes difficult to get to the bar because of people sat on stools all along it. But the staff keep an eye out so you still get served.
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This is just what Green Lanes needs, the food is really good value, the owners are lovely as are the staff. Because of the location however they get more than their fair share of idiots annoying them...
Thank god there is somewhere to get a good cocktail and a great Sunday lunch..the pubs in the area with the exception of the Beaconsfield are all rubbish. Also fantastic not to have to put up with screaming kids, comatose bar staff and overpriced grub (Salisbury!)
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I love this place,its clean friendly, good service, good beer and great food,what more can a place ask for-sometimes seems bit quiet until you go out the back where it is alive and thriving
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Last comment I wrote was when I first moved to the area,now been around a while and I still think this is the best pub in the area,All staff are friendly and many of the locals have become friends.Also the new decking area out the back is a master-stroke, improving an already great smoking area. go there for a real full English and the open decks nights are back! see you there soon x
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Interan wrote: "it is apparent you find it highly offensive for me to explain to your good self (and anyone interested) why there is not a review section on the Garden Ladder web site".
Interan - I'm happy to hear your explanation
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And unfortunately I was trying to tell you about the 'cheek' of the web developer (me) for not adding the chance to review from the site. But you seem to have 'targeted' me, as you so eloquently put it. Nothing wrong with having friends, or even those that own licensed premises.
I shall not reply anymore, it is apparent you find it highly offensive for me to explain to your good self (and anyone interested) why there is not a review section on the Garden Ladder web site.
Take care.
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Interan,
I don't drink in the Salisbury and I've reported you for removal - I feel you have targetted me purely because you are friendly with the owners - yet I have posted my findings as an unbiased customer
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Nothing has been hidden Ellie. Suffice to say of all the excellent reviews written on this site, one or two will not feel the same. As I said, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Enjoy your nights in the Salisbury!
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Interan
My point was that the comment below was ignored and mine selected from BITE and taken and added to the Garden Ladder's website. I DO think that is cheeky and I stand by my opinion but I really don't want to argue the point on here as that's not what this website is about.
I used the link to go to the website and would have been happy to add a further comment on there had it been possible.
"What a pretentious bar this is, pretends to be a freehouse but is nothing more than a jumped up wine bar with the usual suspects.
Food is small, over cooked, and overpriced for what there is,
The Salisbury serves better food and beer.
The staff are arrogant and ill mannered, the worst of whom turned out to be the owner."
wolfen - 18 Sep 2007 17:34
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Ellie wrote;
"Also, I think it's really cheeky that the Garden Ladder has pinched the best comments from here to put on their own website. Why don't they design their website so that people can post comments directly on there or are they too selective?"
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Ellie wrote;
"Also, I think it's really cheeky that the Garden Ladder has pinched the best comments from here to put on their own website. Why don't they design their website so that people can post comments directly on there or are they too selective?"
Ellie, as the web designer/developer I think I need to point something out. When I put these comments on the web site it was done at a point when I built the site. I did however leave a link for anyone to go see. So there really is no 'cheek' involved and I have not mislead anyone.
As for the bar itself, they have just added a garden patio to the place and personally I love it. Simon and Suzannah has become firm friends over the past couple of years and they are a great team. Nice pub, good prices, good food, good ambience, good place to visit. Everyone is entitled to their point of view.
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I used to drink in here a lot, but seem to have gone off it a bit recently. The food is still great, and fantastic value for money, but it seems to be lacking something. Maybe the reintroduction of Open Deck Night and Open Mike Night might be a good idea.
The staff are friendly and I love the smoking area, though it can get a bit crowded at times.
The cocktails are excellent :)
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Seems to have picked up again lately. Quite busy early evening but dies down again after 8ish. Food not as good as before and menu still more or less the same a year later. Agree with comments below on the owner's wife.
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this little bar is lovely (for green lanes) the staff are very friendly well presented ect . the little jumped up owner on the other hand is not so nice she should take some tips about customer service from her staff .i give the bar a 7/10 if she stayed at home it would be a good 9
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the atmosphere in here is great. Not what you'd expect to find in green lanes, nice change. With a vast selection of spirits and cocktails i'm always spoilt for choice.
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I don't know what Wolfen is on about "dying a slow death"!!! Everytime I go in here it's busy and buzzing, last saturday night it was packed. And anyway whats wrong with a few diehards enjoying the �2 a pint happy hour?
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Although i have only lived in the area a while, i have to say that the ladder is the best bar i have found in a while,the staff are spot on and the locals are very welcoming,food is good and the outside smoking area is a winner,i would recommend this bar to anyone.
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Only one thing to say about this bar, its dying a slow death.
A once busy place now empty and deviod of customers except the diehard regulars who spend an hour or two in there during happy hour.
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Although I was sad to see the Indian restaurant disappear (as Green Lanes is sorely lacking in non-Turkish eateries), The Garden Ladder is a worthy replacement. The pub has a pleasant atmosphere and decent wine, served by friendly staff. I haven't eaten here, but friends tell me that it's very good for Sunday luncheon. The only criticism I have is that the pub could do with some comfortable seating, as I prefer sofas and the like to upright chairs at tables.
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This bar is my local and have been visiting since they opened. It is still the best bar in the area - bar none - friendly, clean and fun. The ale is well kept and the food tasty. what more do you want from a bar.
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Went in here last week and it was really dead. We had one drink and left. It's not the same as it was when I originally posted on here.
Also, I think it's really cheeky that the Garden Ladder has pinched the best comments from here to put on their own website. Why don't they design their website so that people can post comments directly on there or are they too selective?
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Sounds like they're feeling the pinch after the smoking ban as the food was brilliant and in large portions previously. Shame that.
anonymous - 19 Sep 2007 22:21 |
What a pretentious bar this is, pretends to be a freehouse but is nothing more than a jumped up wine bar with the usual suspects.
Food is small, over cooked, and overpriced for what there is,
The Salisbury serves better food and beer.
The staff are arrogant and ill mannered, the worst of whom turned out to be the owner.
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I visited this bar on reccomendation but after 15 mins in this bar I realised it was not a pub but a gastro nightmare .
The portions of food are better suited to Gordon Ramsays bistro for the prices charged .
The happy hour is on selected beers probally the beer that wont shift any other way.(so much for promoting responible drinking )
The music is better suited to a nightclub, you couldnt chat due to the banging dance music.
The smoking area is a small alleyway out the back amongst the smell of rubbish from the kitchen
The bar itself was empty of customers for the time I was there, apart from the two people I had brought along, both of who ate nothing prefering to wait till we went to the salisbury.
If this is the way Greenlanes is heading Upper Street has nothing to worry about
anonymous - 18 Sep 2007 16:16 |
This time last year it seemed inconceivable that any place could replace the Salisbury in my affections. Admittedly, until the Garden Ladder opened, there wasn't much of a selection of other drinking establishments in Harringay. However, since this place opened late last year I can count on one hand the number of times I've been to the Salisbury. A great unpretentious little bar with very friendly staff and a grown up clientele serving fantastic food at very reasonable prices (did you hear that Salisbury managers?). They have real ale (unfortunately Directors is the regular, but generally they have at least one guest, more often than not drinkable) along with the normal selection of Eurofizz. I even like the music - but I have very eclectic tastes and tend to listen on random - which is exactly what they do here (you can see the computer running iTunes behind the bar). They've even got a smoking area which doesn't involve standing on Green Lanes - admittedly small, but pleasant enough even if the single bench arrangement does remind me of a bus stop somewhat.
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Better after the smoking ban....
But sort out the music please...
Mel and Kim at full tilt at 10 on a Sunday night... I ask you!!!!
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Popped back in last night, first time for a while. Had a great pint of Landlord the food looked great, really nice atmosphere and staff. this great newish adddition to Green Lanes is keeping up the good work.
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A nice little find and a very welcome one too as the Green Lanes/Wood Green area is sadly lacking in decent pubs with good freshly cooked food and a more grown up clientele. Have been there quite a few times now as they serve really lovely food. The only downside is the lack of vegetarian choice on the menu but hopefully that will improve (I'm getting sick of the pasta dish and the risotto altough both are lovely - it would be nice to have a wider choice). Background music is really good too. This is my new local!
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Excellent new addittion to the the sparse Green Lanes drinking scene. Good selection of lagers and real ales (happy hour 4.30-6.30 �2 a pint!), great food and lovely bar staff. Nice relaxed chilled out atmosphere, but they should re-introduce the open decks night.
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I went in last week with the missus. The atmosphere was great, the food was great (reasonably priced), the music was just right and the staff were extremely friendly, especially the young irish girl behind the bar, cant remember your name sorry, but all in all, a lovely pub, will definetly return, 9/10 :)
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I've just found this fabulous bar/pub serves brilliant food at a reasonable price. Nice mix of people gay/straight/black/white/old/young & female friendly (which is hard to find in any other local pub). The ales are good. Shame about open decks night I thought it was a very good idea but they seem to have stopped it. I agree with lizzr the manager a staff are really friendly and talkative. Keep it up.
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I really like this pub. It's just the kind of place Green Lanes needed. The staff are friendly, the food very good and reasonably priced. Keep up the good work!!
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The food here is absolutely amazing, the atmosphere is eclectic - and the White Rioja is lovely if you're a wine drinker. All in all I love this place!
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A new pub on a stretch of road more noted for its excellent Turkish and Kurdish Kebab shops. Used to be an Indian restaurant. Friendly place with very good and reasonably priced food, decent choice of beer with at least two real ales. This is a real adition to the area and with the Salisbury over the road and the Oakdale 10 minutes walk away us locals almost have a pub crawl!
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Former Indian restaurant turned into a pub
/diner with Directors and two guest beers.
Good food and the beer tends to be on the good side...
However the music is not aimed at the clientele and you might need to bring earplugs....
Amd give Thursday night a miss. it's open decks night and there doesn't seem to be any restriction on the volume
And it's very smokey :-(
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