please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Would have given this place a wide berth if I hadn't been dragged in by some colleagues.
That's just me superficially judging by the decor, music and trendy looking people heading in.
So, was surprised to find three ales on tap, with the Wychwood Christmas offering, Bah Humbug, perfectly drinkable and £3.55 a pint.
Staff were pleasant too and the service quick.
That was around 6.30pm, though, and I imagine later in the evening and at weekends it gets pretty busy and loud.
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The new decor is a bit loud but the place is nice enough, as are the staff. On the downside, the Sunday lunch was over cooked and the bar had run out of limes for drinks? The staff did offer to go get some more so I really can't fault the service, just the chef and the person who orders supplies. One to drink and chat in, but maybe eat elsewhere.
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Some proper beer as well, full of people, recession? what recession?
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Now refurbished and re-named the Vineyard. Interior is a strange collection of chairs, tables, armchairs, and sofas with a multicoloured chequerboard upholstered bar. Food is good, reasonably priced and with a heavy South African influence.
It is not too difficult to imagine a cast array of Islington nobheads showing up here in the evening but on a weekday lunchtime it was pretty pleasant.
Ales were Doom Bar, Landlord and GKIPA along with a standard mix of lagers.
OK if in the area
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Toilets are still rank, never any toilet roll, huge queues for them, always glasses over the pumps, never get what drink you want, what a crap over priced place
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A strange place. Carpets from a working men's club in the 1970's. What I assume are Christmas decorations courtesy of the sadly defunct Woolworth's bargain basement. Big screens at three points of the L-shaped public area, certainly good for sport coverage, should you choose to do that in a bar where you can share your disappointment at what you see on screen with everyone else by shouting, swearing and breaking things. No point in having them if they are going to be muted as they were today, unless you are aiming at a Ladbrooke's ambience. Everyone in here always looks slightly stunned, as if they have been coshed or perhaps gassed. Bombadier and Greene King IPA on draught. Selection of the usual others, should you wish it. Open yard at the front for smoking and watching people walk along Upper Street towards somewhere else. Not cheap, in the financial sense. I get the feeling this place may be on the verge of improvement, though it is uncertain if that will be in the direction of a traditional pub. Big Issue sold indoors on most occasions I have been there. Not something many people enjoy when having a quiet drink.
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Now called the vineyard it has had a facelift. Bar is cleaner and nicer. Food is fried fodder of no real impact. Toilets no longer stink, but the actual toilet bowls are still the same, very low and one of the doors doesnt lock in the ladies...We asked for the white wine on offer and was told it was not on - when we asked if there was an alternative we were told no, so at �15 for the cheapest bottle we left!
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An Upper Street mainstay. Even though the place isn't in any tangible way 'good', you so often seem to end up here, or at least pop in on your way to somewhere else. Even when the only table you can get is right outside the stinky toilets at the back.
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I stopped in here on saturday morning/lunch time. Friendly staff ok selection of drinks. Food is typical pub grub. I was impressed with this pub until I went to the toilet. They are a disgrace no soap, smelly urinals, big holes in the wall and it looks like the ceiling is about to cave in. Sort your bogs out please as its spoiling a good pub.
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Went as part of a group. Host had booked for 20 people and told management we would be eating meals. We arrived to one table capable of seating just six people. Management informed us we could only order platters not meals as the chef couldn't cope with twenty orders and was going to shut the kitchen as he was 'stressed'. When ordering drinks from the bar, three staff including the manager were 'restocking', leaving just one staff member to serve. I waited twenty minutes for a vodka and lemonade. The ladies; one was blocked, the second filthy and the third had no lock.
The actual bar seemed nice, and the only downside to the beer garden was that the path in and out was completely blocked by nicotine starved addicts.
Based on the above, I wouldn't go back
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Hi all!, was out last Saturday wandering the streets of Islington trying to find a place with life and atmosphere.. very hard on Upper St in Jan, well went into 3 or 4 bars and then found The Garden. What a great night! apparently it was quieter than normal, however the staff were really friendly and fun,got tipsy on wine and the DJ kept us entertained all night. what more could you ask for without a door charge... will be back, Thank you garden for a brill time x Em.
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A great pub to be in for a good saturday night out.I had my birthday party there and i couldn't of chosen a better pub. The friendly bar staff and friendly manager 'vee' really made our night easier-i had not booked tables but walked into the pub and asked if it was possible to get some tables for about 15 people. With great effort the manager, along with her staff organised a great set of tables for us. Thank-you Garden for making my birthday a less stressful one. I recommend this pub to anyone.
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good
it is good
yes. Does the job
but if you need to use the fag machine people can't get passed for a piss. sort that out.
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the management changed at the beginning of June and having spoken to the new manager - after having read anonymous comment placed 1st of june - was to say the least incredulous.. Did ask her as to whether this very unpratlike ( prat 1 t )" and actually quite cute" by her own admission, lady had any recollection of a measures incident and was informed that not since she had arrived -unless perhaps a slightly inebriated member of the general public took it upon themselves to inform anonymous about measures - did it happen in this establishment since she took over !!
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ah, the place with the thick barmaid and the pratt of a manager who decided to "prove a point" with me in the concrete garden about measures? Yeah, I liked it.
anonymous - 1 Jun 2006 14:02 |
I had my birthday drinks in this pub a few weeks ago. For upper street wanted to have my own tables for my friends and found it great value that the manager would secure me six tables on a Friday night at no charge where most other pubs wanted to charge me.
Foo d was great, music more to the older age group which went down like a treat. Tables service all night so we didn't have to move and it closed at 2am with a free entry. Great night out and GOOD to find a bar with great prices and 99% female bar staff. Will be back next year. Thanks to all @ the Garden...
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A great pub in Islington, good for relaxing in the beer garden. Bar staff and manager are great!! Just had my birthday drinks there and had the best time!
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Do you like oppressively dark rooms? Does bad noodling Acid Jazz music float your boat? Are you prepared to wait for quarter of an hour to be served by disintersted barstaff, then pay over the odds for at best average beer? If so you are some sort of brain-dead tosspot and this is the pub for you where you can spend time amongst your own! If you answered "No" to any of the above; a) You are probably a splendid human being and b) This place should be avoided at all costs.
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I liked this pub. Friendly bartenders, not too expensive, hot guys. Two enthusiastic thumbs up.
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The moronic Aussie barman refused to serve me a third pint because �I�d been nodding off in my chair out there�. What�s the point of having a bloody garden if you can�t come in after an 18-hour working day in a sweltering heatwave and doze off for a while? And the beer is rubbish, anyway.
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For Upper Street, this place is quite good. The food is generally very good and really well priced - more gastro than many of the restaurants around there. A decent place to get drunk in. I agree with Annabella on the football front. If you wanna watch the beautiful game, find another place.
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Very average, but great comfy sofas
Johno Tompson - 16 Jul 2004 14:16 |
big bland 'sports' pub. �1 on the door keeps the winos out. not bad in the summer. Generally an unpretentious, easygoing boozer (hard to find on upper st) with a late license.
mudmucks - 13 Feb 2004 16:30 |
Terrible for watching football in. Hardly anyher to sit so everyone has to stand so unless your there early or extremely tall it's pointless going here.
Annabella - 28 Jan 2004 23:39 |
Nice, slightly non-descript pub. Great for a rainy afternoon - speacious, good friendly service.
Siobhain - 18 Dec 2003 10:56 |
