please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Walked past the pub today, and it's closed, with building work being carried out inside.
It's the 5th Wetherspoons pub that I frequent that has been, or is about to be, closed in the last month. All very popuar and always busy, so don't understand how they don't meet the Wetherspoons' business model.
Feels like it's a personal vendetta against me !
Perry - 24 Feb 2016 20:24 |
I popped in last Friday afternoon, and had some reasonable fish and chips.
4 different pints of guest ales, at £ 3-05 a go. all quite jolly.
and then I was told by several customers that this pub will no longer be a WSP after January 2016.
The lease is running out , and WSP are not renewing, so there will be new owners. Therefore WSP will no longer have a pub in the Highgate/Hampstead area for the first time in quite a few years.
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Excellent Spoons. Lovely theatre upstairs. Pay a visit.
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Just to let people know , this pub is not a WSP conversion, as such.
The original pub was built before 1914 and was called the George , my father remembered drinking there now and again in the 1970's.
The dining room is the additional fixture. But nobody knows when the Beer Garden was built.
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I have been drinking, and eating in the Gatehouse every so often for several
years. The service is good but I always notice that the pub has a big turnover of staff.
Also the beer prices are increasing bit by bit, but I suspect that is because its
becoming more and more popular.
8/10
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This large and imposing Weatherspoon’s is a proper gatehouse building that sits on a roundabout and is a short stroll from both The Flask and Prince of Wales…these were my 3 pubs in 1 evening on Saturday.
As I entered the pub I am taken aback by the size and what a stunning building it is. This is a beautiful conversion into a pub.
It’s the first day of the Weatherspoon’s International beer festival and with a decent choice I opted for a pint of Two Birds Brewing (Australian) Golden Ale @ 4.4%.
It’s a Saturday night and this is Highgate so I shouldn’t be surprised the pub was very busy but no problem getting served as the bar staff were very efficient.
Hops hanging around the pub giving it an old fashioned and homely feel.
Even thought this is a ‘Spoons it’s a very nice pub and another pub I’d like to return to.
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I visited The Gate House while visiting family in London, from April 12-20, 2015. They live in Highgate, and often go to the Gate House. I found the food to be quite good. I was a regular there for their "Traditional Breakfast" Having been born in Buffalo, New York, the cradle of "Buffalo Wings", I was amazed at the quality of their Buffalo wings!! Some of the best I've eaten outside of Buffalo! The staff members were all very helpful and cordial.
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Not a bad boozer in a well-catered for area. Decent beers well looked after. Service can be slow; check out the american barmaid doing everything thing she can to avoid serving anyone...hilarious! Food seems popular so overall worth a visit.
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Not bad for a Wetherspoons.
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Attractive Wetherspoons branch, both inside and out, located on a prominent junction in Highgate. Live Olympics track cycling was being shown on the TV, with most patrons glued to the box. Beers on were Greene King Abbot Ale, Fullers London Pride, Inveralmond Lia Fail, Adnams Ghost Ship, Elgoods Greyhound & Cotswold Spring Stunner. With the culmination of their cider festival, they also had Westons Traditional Scrumpy, Old Rosie & Cider Twist Raspberry & Green Valley The Last Straw. A nice branch of Spoons.
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As Ive said before in previous reviews this is one of my favourite Wetherspoon Pubs. I find this is a very good run Wetherspoons as the tables are always cleaned almost as soon as customers are finished. Plus theres always a very good choice of Real Ales on tap that are always in excellent condition whenever Ive been in. The food service and Staff seem very good & fast as well and you cant fault the cost or value for money. I usually walk up here for a Large Mixed Grill & a Few pints when leaving Highgate tube station as theres no real Pubs near the tube station now except one and thats too much like restaurant with table service. So In my opinion this Place is much better more like a traditional Pub with good priced food and good service. I would have no problem recommending this Pub to others.
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An awesome climax with Wolfgang and Helmut in the Gatehouse. A knee-buckling half of Ruddles ended another cracking session. A wonderfully jolly crowd were enjoying the festive atmosphere. Fantastic!!
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A magnificent climax at the end of a birthday crawl with two friends on 21/10/11. I had a Top Class half of Courage Best. The pub was absolutely BUZZING on our visit. Being somewhat inebriated I must say I am greatly indebted to my companions Wolfgang and Helmut who 'escorted' me home safely. Great stuff guys.
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superb wetherspoons and better than i could ever have hoped for,amazing big building,Fast attentive staff and plenty of them (unusual for spoons),lots of different seating areas incl a nice beer patio at the rear,the pint of j w lees "hopmeister" was very good and just one of several guest ales on tap(�2.60),9/10
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Typical Wetherspoons, like drinking on the moon. Didn't realise what it was until I wandered in. Shame as this is a lovely looking pub from the outside. Standard wetherspoons beer and service. Dreadful!!
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not bad for a wetherspoons and a nice garden at the back however be prepared for a long wait to get your beer!!!!!
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First visit last night and I was very pleased with the beer and the surroundings.
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Wetherspoons are usually a last resort for me but this one came 'recommended'.
Tried the Nethergate Frank Incense which was nothing brilliant. Still haven't found a Wetherspoon pub I'd want to have more than a pint in.
anonymous - 12 Dec 2010 02:03 |
Cheap real ale.
Best Wetherspoons in North London.
Superb really, when everything's taken into account.
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An orgasmic end to a crawl with three friends on 16/10/10. Absolutely SPECTACULAR half of Courage Best. This is a superb pub and not to be missed!
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Great Wetherspoons! Standard food but great beers. Another Non-Pretentious bar in a very pretentious area!
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I was in here just a few days ago. This is one of my favourite Wetherspoon Pubs Its a very good run Wetherspoons The tables are always cleaned & cleared of clutter almost as soon as customers are finished. Plus theres a very good choice of Real Ales on tap that are always in excellent condition whenever Ive been in. The Service and Staff seem very good as well and you cant fault the cost or value for money I would have no problem recommending this Pub to others.
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Like most Weatherspoon pubs a nice selection of real ales. The interior is quite nice and it looks rather inviting from outside. The food I had to be honest was very poor.
Me and my girlfriend wished we had paid �3 more per head and gone to the pub across the road. �5.50 for spaghetti bolognese is cheap but for what we got over priced. A micro-waved meal upturned into a bowl with the spaghetti on top of meat (what there was of it)... finished with what looked like a finger mark to check if it was hot or not.
For a cheap beer... not a bad pub, for food... poor, even by Weatherspoon standards.
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Should be renamed the Nuthouse. If you want to get the full experience of what Bedlam must have been like in it's heyday, the Nuthouse is recommended. About 80% of the clientele are geriatric and mad, the other 20% are of varying age and can mostly be seen staring into the distance or laughing randomly and with great vigour at seemingly nothing. Try a Sunday evening, when the place is usually crammed with with (entirely harmless) fruitloops. The effect is quite intoxicating, and you may leave a different person.
That said, it's probably the best Wetherspoon's you'll visit, a varied and constantly changing selection of beers, cheap if not the best-kept. It's warm and has plenty of seating, although seeing as it seems to act as the local retirement home this is in quite high demand so be prepared for someone to shuffle off the mortal coil before you can rest your legs. Bit of a depressing interior but like someone has said, some interesting artefacts about.
I shall continue to visit for a cheap pint, but whenever I am a bit more flush I far prefer the Prince of Wales just over the road..
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Enjoyed a Christmas Eve session last night. Pub was lively and buzzing with all the staff dressed up and open 'til 1am. Good ale selection with several "seasonals", and impromptu singalongs to Christmas pop videos made it all the more entertaining. Nich52 remarks on the beers being slightly on the cold side - I noticed that too, but otherwise they were in good condition. Everything else about the pub was about the best you'd expect in a JDW.
Good, 7/10 - worth a trip.
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They'd ran out of fosters this evening but coors at �2.49 a pint is a worthy substitute.
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I agree with Nickthefish - it's better than most Wetherspoons. The ales are always too cold for me in these places - resulting in a strange lack of taste. However, my pint was quite reasonable. The food was cheap and fairly filling although it wouldn't win any prizes.
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One of the better 'spoons. Nice and clean and plenty of choice of ale. Staff competent and helpful. Interesting facts about the area dotted around the place.
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Typical Wetherspoons pub. Good real ale selection as usual. Just see if you can order at the bar without having a conversation with a drunk local. Friendly drunks though.
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Have liked this JDW for years. Good food served although the rate of service drops dramatically during busy times.
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Better than norm Weatherspoon but although the Mordue was fine the Spitfire was poor.
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The Gatehouse has a theatre above it called Upstairs at The Gatehouse. They should be prepared, therefore, for it to busy pre-theatre. Arriving at 6:15 on a Tuesday evening I was told that there was a half hour wait for food. Waiting that long for food anywhere is unacceptable but especially in a pub below a theatre. I left. Dont try eating there if in a rush.
Luckily, there is a well staffed, well organised Zizzi right next door.
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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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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
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Best Spoons I have been in, and I have been in a fair few. Food is standard JDW, staff are good, nice pub. Young and old alike, no plebs about either.
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A very good run Wetherspoons with good choice of Real Ales that are always in excellent condition whenever Ive been in. The Service and Staff seem good as well and you cant fault the cost or value for money I would have no problem recommending this Pub to others.
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Just had a pleasant few pints in the Gatehouse this evening, served by a cheeful and pretty Polish girl. The weather was great today so we sat in the flower filled garden drinking tasty pints of Otter beers at a very civilised price for Highgate village. I have been coming here on and off for many years and will continue to do so.
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Good pub,although the service could have been a little better. Only a small gripe but the staff were serving out of trurn... Overall though a good pub and worth the visit.
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I would totally agree with most other Reviews this is in my opinion one of the best Wetherspoons in North London for Real Ales I don�t Know about food as I have not eaten there but Service & Staff are very good. I would defiantly recommend this Pub to anyone.
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This must be one of the very few JDW's were virtually all the reviewers agree that this is a good pub. I definitely agree also as I visited this pub on Wednesday, 20 February.
A nice atmosphere, friendly staff, quick service, both food and drinks. 5 'guest' ales besides the usuals.
Without a doubt I will be going back and I don't often say that about a Wetherspoon's pub!!
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Agree mostly with previous reviewers. Good range of beers (both bitters and lagers) and wines. Food was ok, received fairly quickly for a VERY busy saturday night but they had run out of Rice (how??) and Garlic bread was over cooked.
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Agree with the comments about food and beers - but find the service leaves a lot to be desired!
anonymous - 5 Nov 2007 10:34 |
This is definitely one of the better Wetherspoon's. There were 8 real ales on when I visited recently, the Otter and a Stout from B&T being exceptionally good. There's a better atmosphere here too than in many 'spoons pubs. Maybe that's something to do with the area.
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I�m not a massive Whetherspoons fan, but this is a great pub with excellent food. It does have an advantage over most spoons pubs with its location in affluent Highgate, but the friendly staff actually made an effort to be hospitable and the place was spotless.
A mixed grill in London for just over 8 quid would normally fill me with visions of vomiting and diarrhoea, but it was great and I would recommend it.
This is the best spoons pub I have been in!
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A really decent pub, complete with theatre upstairs! Good range of beers/wines/spirits etc and the food here is usually very good - they have a chef who can actually cook your steak how you ask for it. Overall a very decent wetherspoons pub
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This is a contender for the best Wetherspoon's in the country. It's an exceptionally nice pub with exceptionally cheap prices.
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a great pub for highgate 9 real ales,the skinners ,B&Tand moorhouses were the best. food was highly recommended especially the ham egg and chips. quick table clearance.
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I like this Spoons, especially in the summer as there is a good and varying ale selection at good prices for the area as well. The interior could be better, but it has a decent beer garden
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Had an enjoyable Sunday dinner here last year. Very pleasant location and a welcome sight after the long haul up Highate Hill. Cheekily friendly barman and ok food and beer.
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No Chef Needed IN This Bar as Everything Is DINGED.AND Food IS Not Cheap.Sad For Highgate.
anonymous - 25 Jul 2006 15:47 |
I have only ever had one bad pint here and they swapped it no fuss. Unlike other local places (Flask, Red Lion + Sun).
The selection is always good, lots of Red Squirrel beers on recently.
Don't let Wetherspoons put you off, this really is one of their best establishments (beer wise anyway).
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Popped in last Saturday (01/04/06) following a concert. I have to say that the one pint I drank here was not bad. This was labelled "Munich Beer" by a small brewery but pulled very smoothly through the handpump. Quite hoppy but by no means amertume, this was balance by some honey and berry fruit.
It was reassuring that such a sophisticated flavour was reproduced here and full marks go to the cellarman for this. I am therefore changing my original 5/10 mark awarded in 2003 to an 8.
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A nice friendly and safe pub.
anonymous - 1 Apr 2006 17:23 |
A decent enough Wetherspoons in Highgate Village, there never seems enough staff serving behind the bar. Local eccentrics & old Irishmen who obviously come for the affordable beer make visits here an enjoyable one. The pre-theatre crowd, half pints & orange juices all round, are best to be avoided if theres anything being being performed upstairs.
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Full of boozed-up highgate boys, and rich chavs. Very horrible atmosphere. Avoid. Although some of the staff are friendly I'm sure they'll move on soon enough.
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great pub. for highgate its very cheap and is a lot more relaxing than places such as The Flask. My only criticism is the amount of teenagers in there at weekends.
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Cheap and handy wetherspoons on the top of High gate hill. Standard JDW beer and food ranges. Try the flask and angel pubs nearby.
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Did not click on that it was a JDW pub until I paid for my beer. Lots of nooks and crannies to sit in and a small beer garden at the back which is ok in the summer.
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For a WS this is pretty decent. Quiet, large yet cosey. Had a cheese sarnie which was a bit rank but overall it's okay for a pint or two and unlike most of the places in Highgate not full of hooray henry types of tourists.
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One of the better Wetherspoon pubs, comfortable friendly and good range of ale. The wife approves which is the best you will get to a ringing endorsment
anonymous - 5 May 2005 18:37 |
Not your usual Wetherspoon's pub - as it has a very good little rep theatre upstairs. During the theatre intervals the G&T crowd comes down and mixes with the 'Wethermen' regulars - you know, the kind of old boy who looks like Old Man Steptoe, who seem to spend all their time and money in 'spoons pubs. The atmosphere usually seems friendly, however, there's the usual dirt cheap basic but filling food, and also a nice little beer garden/courtyard.
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Not a bad place for a cheap pint but not the nicest pub in highgate.
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cheap drink, cheap food a all round good pub
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Yes i agree. Wetherspoon do not work thier staff like carthorses unlike other pubs and you can usually enjoy a pint or two here without mincers hooting or holering at footballing screens. For this reason this is THE best pub in Highgate by far.
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Great pub. Good beer,good food, reasonable level of service,clean toilets,comfortable surroundings. Best pub in Highgate.
anonymous - 23 Jan 2005 09:25 |
This pub is usually understaffed behind the bar and often runs out of beer. The real ales are normally very well kept. The almosphere is pleasant, -except
when disturbed by gangs of raucous kids, who get drunk on a couple of bottles of dubious looking chemicals and then begin shrieking and shouting. Exactly what the genial, older patrons travel up Highgate Hill to escape!
anonymous - 18 Dec 2004 20:21 |
It's a Spoons', so any comments about it being full of alcoholic old men, understaffed and slightly dirty are sort of stating the obvious. It's cheap. Much cheaper than the pubs near here and as far as Spoons' go it's not that hideous. I think the building is an old Almshouse and it's supposed to be haunted. There are obviously much better places in Highgate, but if you fancy a cheap pint, the Gatehouse isn't half bad.
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I'm sure there must be a non-smoking part, being a Wetherspoons pub, but I couldn't find it. The bit I could find was chokingly smoky. If the barman had served us a bit quicker we might have stayed, but he was all on his own with a full bar to serve. We beat a hasty retreat. I'm sure it has its good bits though.
Pippa - 12 Oct 2004 08:25 |
Standard Wetherspoon's - hence takes a fair amount of custom away from the pricier (but also nicer) Flask pub which is about a minute's walk away. It's ok I suppose, although my view of it will forever be dimmed by having seen a truly dreadful play upstairs. Oh, and the pub itself flooded that evening as well. Everyone has their bad nights I suppose, and as I say it's not too bad most o' the the time.
Will C - 22 Sep 2004 15:41 |
Went down for a couple of drinks during and after having seen a play in the upstairs theatre. Good value for money, nice atmosphere and one in particular very helpful, friendly barman by the name of Rob.
Joanne - 22 Jul 2004 20:04 |
Very spaceious and cheap. I think it maybe a Wetherspoon but copeious amounts of beer in the Prince Of Wales clouded my judgement. The food looked very good as well.
PJB - 14 Jun 2004 11:18 |
to smokey,to hot as regulars who sit near doors always shut them even in summer.new manageress cant cope. pub was at top of hill but its going down now.
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Rather too big and sprawling a place to feel all that friendly, but the food and drink are indeed relatively cheap (at least by Highgate Village standards). there are nicer pubs on the high street, but they all cost more!
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That's not nice. We will all be old one day.
The pub's not too bad and attracts a mixed crowd and is not quite so dear as the other pubs in the area around it. Not much atmosphere as it's a Wether Spoons Chain Pub, but its handy.
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cheap food and a fair sized, enclosed garden. Can smell a bit of old people.
David - 28 Dec 2003 18:22 |
Good value for mony. nice atmosphere, friendly staff
michael cull - 16 Sep 2003 22:53 |
A convenient Wetherspoon's pub at the top of Highgate Hill. A cheaper alternative to the Flask for food.
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