please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
An old favourite but my comments here - breathtakingly lovely Victorian interior, good food, so so beer, indifferent service, too many posh people - could be used as a template for so many London pubs nowadays. Still, an important first or last staging post on any Regent's Canal pub crawl.
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I liked this place and so did everyone in our group. Nice high ceilings with pillars holding it up. This what a Victorian pub used to look like, with all the mirrors as well.
Not a good selection of cask ales, but a varied selection of "Craft Ales".
We would go again.
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Very smart looking pub with a central bar, high ceiling and lots of glass and mirrors.
The clientele were on the young side.
Had a couple of decent beers, Apus Navigation and Ilkley Mary Jane.
Not the best pub about but not the worst either.
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Smaller than it seems pub in middle of gentrified houses. Lots of etched glass and the like. The barman is one of the hardest working bartenders I have come across. The beer was excellent (Sambrook's Lavender Hill @ £4.10 per pint) and very good food. Definitely one to revisit.
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Love my local. Gorgeous interior and great food. Everyone complains that it is loud but it is a PUB get a life if you complain.
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Beautiful looking pub, but I think our party were not what they really like to encourage drinking there. I say that because the service we received would have been entirely justified had I mounted the bar and defecated on a photo of the barman's dead grandmother, but as I hadn't I can only put it down to the fact he was just having a bad day. Or I wasn't young or beautiful enough.
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I visited the Island Queen for the first time in a while last night. Returning to this old favourite brought out mixed feelings in me - excitement mixed with trepidation. What if they've decided to stop bothering with ales? What if there's a new hipster-based dress code and my trousers aren't tight enough? Ooo er.
Upon arriving I was reassured to see that everything seemed pretty much the same. After having a few drams of Glenfiddich's finest at an art'n'whisky event taking place upstairs, I thought it would be advisable to have some dinner.
Imagine my horror when I saw that my favourite vegetarian option - the lentil burger (see previous reviews) - was no longer featured on the revamped menu. Most irritating. However, rather than leaving in protest I decided to take a risk and go for something else: the asparagus, mushroom, pea & creme fraiche tart with beetroot and new potato salad.
The gamble paid off, for the meal was superb. Stupendous, in fact. I was very pleased with my choice. Reflecting upon it now makes me mouth water. 'If food be the music of love then turn up the volume and get me another aspragus, mushroom, pea and creme fraiche tart', as the bard might have said.
Good selection of ales. Toilets in reasonable condition.
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Off the beaten track (for London at any rate) pretty little boozer....great selection of beers...don't miss the Kuppers Kolsch on draft.
Muzzy - 15 May 2012 11:43 |
Some of the recent comments need balancing (and the scarf story just sounds a bit weird). I was at the Island Queen on Friday for a pre xmas drink with a group of friends - as we've done for the last couple of years - and the service was fine. Even being 'told off' for having drinks outside after 11 was done in a humorous way (I think!). It's still a great looking pub architecturally as people have commented; it has just enough reasonable cask beer on and the food some of us had looked OK. Didn't notice the music being irritating and that's a pet hate of mine.
I have to emphasise - the staff were perfectly polite to a beery group of ten blokes who are far from young, beautiful and privileged!
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Worth visiting for it's architectural merit but if you're not young, beautiful and privileged you will be treated with disdain.
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first visit, not really that impressed, like so many naive establishments they seem to think that as more punters arrrive the irritating music thats playing needs to be gradually turned up in increments, service is slow (there was someone skulking in the background not lifting a finger - the manageress?) 4 ales available (non from london despited a plethora of new brewery openings) My Landlord was very sub standard, doubt i'll be back
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I have been a long term patron of The Island Queen and have often recommended it to people looking for a good pub in Islington. However, the treatment I received at the hands of its present manager, Antonia Orpen, whose customer care skills are beyond appalling and more in the realms of a horrific car crash, simply have to be given as a warning to anyone thinking of using the place. I have never, ever been treated so disgracefully as I have been by this woman, and if the problems others have reported vis a vis bad service are to be believed, then it is little surprise given the atrocious attitude of the person in charge. If I was the owner of this pub I would be horrified to find out that someone as awful at dealing with customers was supposedly the representative of my business.
The other day I rang the pub on behalf of my girlfriend to find out if she had left her black scarf in the pub and if it had been found. Ms Orpen reported that it had been but managed to hang up the phone before I had a chance to tell her my name, when the scarf would be retrieved and the name of the person collecting it. I had to ring back, and when I pointed out that she had hung up the phone before I had had the chance to pass on the information, she proceed to scream denials and blue murder down the phone at me. The following day my girlfriend took an hour out to go and retrieve her scarf, but on arrival it had bizarrely gone missing and no such item was to be found. However, when I called the pub back to find out what the story was, there was actually a scarf, but it had turned pink overnight. Ms Orpen proceeded once more to shout down the phone at me and hang up again. I phoned a final time to try and give her a chance to sort this situation out but once again I was shouted at, abused and hung up on.
Such epically bad behaviour would usually see an employee fired, but to see it from a manager beggars belief. Such individuals do a disservice to the good pubs we have and eventually will start deservedly impacting on business. Antonia Orpen should think long and hard about her chosen career as she simply is not suited to working with people. Similarly, pub owners Mitchells and Butlers would do well do dispose of her questionable and limited talents before they cost a good pub not just money but also its reputation.
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I usually take negative reviews with a pinch of salt and assume they get posted by disgruntled punters in their petty attempts to trash a pub's reputation, so after reading the reviews below I visited this pub to ask about hiring their beautiful function room in the hope that they would be proved wrong... sadly everything I'd read turned out to be true! The surly staff made me feel most unwelcome, and leaving with a massive list of conditions for hire of the room, having been told that the only food available for parties was their "Vegetarian Platter"(!), I decided I'd rather go to a nice restaurant where my guests could order whatever food and drink they liked.
On the plus side it *is* a really beautiful pub and the function room is a bit special, so much so that I was prepared to make a few comprimises- just not a list as long as my arm. I got the impression that the pub's owners are relying on the pub's admittedly splendid interior a little too much, but when it seems to be pulling in the punters who can blame them? With this pub being a little off the beaten track it would need more than good decord to tempt me back for a second visit.
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Just a great pub; fun times for all! its obvious that Tel sorry "TDM" is a disgruntled punter - judging by his reviews (and there are a few) seems like hes a bit of a misery and not the jolly chap you would want in your establishment anyway! Keep up the good work!
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To the reviewer below: life's too short to hate! Plus it's weird to get so freaked out by a pub. Anyway, I popped into the IQ at the weekend and loved my shandy followed by cider. Top notch. The IQ was looking fab and my buddies and I had fun in the sun outside.
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i hate this pub. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!
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Rather amused by all the negative comments. Went in yesterday during a pub crawl around this part of Islington. Had Landlord, Porter and Starpramen whilst the Missus has Schneider Weiss. All beers served in excellent condition with a decent sized head and in the correct glassware by happy to oblige staff. No problems whatsoever. Beautful gin-palace-esque interior. A boozer I will definitely return to.
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I, in all good conscience, and out of respect to the other users of this website, cannot allow a positive review of this diabolical pub to be the first thing you read.
I implore that if you are thinking about going, think twice! I have done it myself. Toying with the idea of going to the Island Queen is a bit like playing with an elastic band, actually going is like loosing an eye.
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Despite my fear of high ceilings I have great affection for the Island Queen. There is a magnificent range of wine and beers and I am slightly addicted to the spinach and lentil burger. The staff have spunk and are nice to look at.
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I've used this pub for years, purely for drinking (I don't tend to eat in pubs). The quality of the beer has definitely got better over time, both in terms of consistency and variety. The quality of the staff has, I'm afraid, stayed exactly the same. Unlike others, they've never been rude to me, but they do tend to be absolutely useless at what they do - chatting to each other rather than serving people, giving short measure, wandering off in the middle of serving someone. I don't know who picks them, but whoever it is is remarkably consistent. It's about time things changed.
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Went and had a couple of pints this afternoon. Couple of ales off, but we drank some pleasant dark mild and porter, pleasant staff, tasty chips and the christmas deco's coming down around us.
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We have stopped going to this pub, because of the attitude of the staff. Some are very friendly and obliging; others display a level of overt rudeness that supasses anything I have experienced in any other pub. How do they ever get away with it?
Reading these reviews, I am relieved to see that it�s not just me being paranoid. On the bar, ironically, is a box with a label �Tips for staff�; my tip is �try being polite to your customers and maybe we will return�.
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After a long wait for food it was served stone cold on cold plates. Thi was returned to the kitchen with no real apology from staff. COmpensated with extra dishese of vegetables which again were all cold on arrival. A young member of staff then spilt gravy all down the legs of one of the guests only offering a dirty cloth to clean it up with again with no real apology. When this was contested asking for a clean cloth and for a better quality of service guest was told to go somewhere else if he didn't like it. Obviously this provoked a negative response in the guest and then the manager came over and told him not to be rude to his staff. The low level of service throughout was staggeringly low and went a considerable way to ruining a special occasion we were trying to celebrate. Absolutely shocking.
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I recently went to this pub on a Sunday afternoon, in the hope of having a nice lunch with my parents.
i phoned in advance to ask what time they would be serving food until. I was told sunday roasts until 6pm and a main menu after 6. I came along at 4.30pm to see the sign outside advertising the Sunday roast and a big chalk board inside detailing what was available. My father went up to order a pint, and was told they were out. So he requested an alternative, only for the barman to say - 'Yea that is gone too'. So I stepped in and said 'how about you just tell us what you do have' and he replied 'well you have come at the end of the week!'. There was no apologiy, instead a suggestion that it was our fault that the drinks were not available. I then asked whether the Sunday roast could be ordered, only to be told the kitchen was closed. I asked why when I had called especially, and he simply said 'we ran out'. Again, no apology - just an incredibly rude attitude. We immediately left, and needless to say, I was embarrassed that my father should be spoken to so rudely. This appears to be a nice pub, but I have never come across such rude staff. This is not the first time I have experienced very poor service at the Island Queen and I would avoid it at all costs. If they not serving food, they should take the board outside down, and wipe out the chalk board. It does not take long. And a bar that is not stocked properly, is not the fault of the customer!!
CAM33 - 13 Aug 2010 16:59 |
Nice pub, shame about the staff.
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Tucked away off the beaten path of Upper Street, a slightly gentrified pub with a great interior, it all sounds good. Throw in surly staff who seemed keen to find other things to do other than serve and beer that wasn't up to much and things start going really rather bad.
After two unspectacular pints of bitter I tried the Adnams stout they had on. Unfamiliar with this stout I enquired as to whether it was supposed to taste like cider yet look like a stout, where the bar maid kindly shouted at me and asked what I was accusing her of. Alas, it was a query. Bit rude I thought.
Don't think I'll bother again.
Oh and our friends food took well over an hour to arrive, however, in there favour they did say it would be a while.
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Simply the worst pub imaginable. Surviving solely on its admittedly lovely interior, the service here is not only incompetent and rude it is also aggressive. I have given it the benefit of the doubt in the past, even having waited 30 minutes for service in an only reasonably busy bar. Never ever again. Disgustingly arrogant staff. One round, after ordering mind, took 15 minutes to deliver. No explanation. No apology. Just a disappearing barman, who rematerialised at his own whim to dismissively serve the drinks. My query as o why it took so long and suggestion that maybe this could be bettered was met with outright, boggleeyed aggression. The barman (a hilarious wannabee, who clearly wants to be a rockstar but comes off like a poor man's Shakin' Stevens) all but called me out and then refused to serve me.
Do the world a favour. Do everything that's good a and right about human sociability and send this pub the message it needs. Do not go. Otherwise their risible excuse for a hostelry will endure.
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Fantastic looking pub, outside and in, quiet residential location far enough away from Upper Street to avoid the hoards. Should be brilliant, but unfortunately has pretty comprehensively failed me on every visit, predominantly down to poor service, verging on plain rude, and poor internal standards. Food is so-so and half the cask ales have been off on recent visits.
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I feel I should add my voice to the reviews below. Do not be fooled by the elegant exterior and handsome interior. This place is rubbish beyond measure. So-so beer, served by rude, incompetant staff to a bunch of wannabes who don't know better. What a waste. The locals should rise up and run them out of town on the end of their Conran pitchforks. DO NOT GO HERE. There are much, much nicer places to go nearby.
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I visited the Island Queen as part of a crawl the other Saturday night (09/01/10) and it has to go down as one of my all-time worst pub experiences.
I�d visited previously and been a little disappointed, but was willing to forget this, as my drinking buddies were all keen to go. And so we gambolled in from the icy wastes of the evening, full of the joys of late winter, to pitch ourselves towards the bar through a crowd of the usual try-hard thirty-something Islingtonites clad in novelty t-shirts, ripped jeans, beanie hats and ironic �taches.
Two of our party � myself and one of the girls � stood at the front of the bar for a period of just shy of half an hour, being completely ignored by the ambling and disinterested bar staff, who proceeded to serve a good five or six people who�d arrived after us, as slowly as it is possible without actually ceasing to move entirely � actually quite a feat.
When it was near-on impossible to ignore us any longer (I was dressed as a Mexican labourer pleading to get taken on the landscaping van and was jumping up and down on a pogo stick, holding up a sign saying PLEASE SERVE ME, HOMBRE � WE�RE SO VERY THIRSTY), I kicked off proceedings with a hearty greeting to the barman and a request for three pints of bitter and a couple of imported lagers.
The chap (who, incidentally bore a fleeting resemblance to an elongated and �tacheless Manuel of Fawlty Towers fame) poured our lagers V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y� He then told us that the bitter we wanted had gone and offered us the other one on tap. He then poured a single pint of this one, only to inform us that this barrel had also gone... As there was no other bitter on, we ordered two Sierra Nevadas. One incredibly slow pint of this beverage later, he then told us in a fairly off-hand manner that he could not serve us any more draught beer because �the gas has gone�, not even muttering so much as a cursory apology�
Losing the will to live by this point we settled for a couple of bottles and a lime and soda, just as we noticed that the barman next to him was in the process of pouring two pints of an adjacent beer for another customer�
Admittedly ranting amongst ourselves just a little by this stage, we cut a swathe through the hordes of loudly braying Islingtonites and trotted upstairs� After one of us nearly broke his ankle on a bit of beading that had come loose from the stairs, we were pleased to find the upstairs room was looking a little empty� only to discover it had been reserved for a birthday from about two hours earlier.
We then deduced that we had stepped into the middle of one of those scenarios in which the birthday boy has invited all 400 people from his Facebook friendlist (including the smart and pretty young secretary from work he�s been trying to boff unsuccessfully for the past 18 months), and only his brother and a desperate sociopath he vaguely remembers from primary school have turned up to celebrate with him. The three of them brooded darkly in the corner until they noticed us, whereupon they sprang into action, taking up as much of the floorspace as they could muster with their undernourished frames. Needless to say they grunted their refusal at us when we politely asked if we could borrow one of the five empty tables for 20 minutes or so.
And so, feeling increasingly jaded and misanthropic, we trotted down the staircase, nearly breaking our necks on the loose beading and went outside. We said our hellos to the castrato brass monkeys who were having a cheeky fag on the pavement and supped our drinks, feeling almost at peace for the first time since we had arrived� And then, just as we had had the reckless temerity to relax for a moment, up popped our feckless barman to inform us that we couldn�t drink outside after ten� Given that we had reached the bar at around 9.05pm, I felt like glassing him on the spot. (Though I didn�t, gentle reader � especially if the police ask you any questions.)
In short, it�s a tragedy that such a lovely-looking boozer can provide such a terribly unwelcoming atmosphere and unenjoyable drinking experience.
You won�t be surprised to hear that I won�t be going back.
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I live in the Islington area and have visited this pub on many occasions, usually lured by the great interior and relaxed friendly clientele. Each time I go I forget that the service is abysmal and the staff (with the exception of the nice girl with the dark hair) are rude. For example, some friends and I went last night (WHY WHY) to have some food and drinks in the upstairs room. We were first told that we were not allowed to eat upstairs despite the fact that the kitchen is next door to the upstairs bar, and then that if we wanted to eat we would have to order INDIVIDUALLY at the bar where we were told to wait and then carry our own food from the bar upstairs ourselves. When we asked if it wouldn't make more sense that we all wait upstairs ...it was a crowded bar on a friday night, we were told by the bar manager not to "get smart"! Eventually, after eating our supper in shifts, we had to prey upon the kindness of the very nice chef as one of our number had not received anything to eat and was still waiting patiently downstairs- we were told they had mucked up the order and would have to wait! Thank Heavens for the Charles Lamb.
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As has been mentioned before, this is a good looking pub with woeful staff that don�t seem to know what they are doing. I was asked by the barman what I would like and I asked for a pint of Pride as the Doom Bar and Landlord were off, he then said that he was serving someone else and walked off to serve a girl at the other side of the bar � that was a first for me.
I decided to cut my losses and drink elsewhere.
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Oh dear. Let me first say this pub used to be good. It now seems to of got away from itself and gone rather rubbish.
Firstly on my last visit two of the three ales were off and the one left, London Pride, was dreadful. The taste was off, and the head resembled lumpy sewage foam. Yuk.....to the point that both the Noogs on the Pride felt sick after a while.
Secondly the service seems shoddy - I waited an age to be served at the not very busy bar, whilst the bar staff wandered about a bit doing not much and looked generally grumpy with their lot.
Thirdly the food took ages (granted we were warned) and wasn't really up to much - certainly didn't resemble the interesting sounding menu.
Hey, it still looks nice inside though. Bonus!
Far nicer pubs very close by - off the top of my head The Mucky Pup, The Rosemery Branch - shucks - even the slightly upperty organic place round the corner with all the rich peeps honking away in it. Honk!
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Wonderful exterior and interior, hugely atmospheric, but massively let down in my opinion by the range of beers. Seems like they're trying to go out of their way to be different with what they offer, which would be fine if it was good stuff - but I had a pint of German beer and it was honestly no better than Fosters. Plus if you're going to try to give the impression you're serving superiour continental beers, it kind of ruins that impression when you have Peroni on tap.
A shame - pub itself is a marvel, but the drinks let it down.
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Arrived here in the evening, the subdued lighting, the reflections from etched glass & victorian fittings lend the interior a warm comfy feel. Prices not cheap, but never thought they would be! Decent range of foreign beers including klosch, & the real ale was rated as fine quality by our party. No food being served at the time of our visit, the service was acceptable without being friendly... enjoy this pub for its classic victorian interior & interesting range of beers
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I live in the area, and this pub has got worse within the last 2 years with regards to noise etc.
I have eaten there recently, it took ages to get served, one of the staff dropped a drink on me without apologising and the food ordered 1hr before turned up warm.
I can not think why people would want to go there.
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Interesting decor with lots of etched glass. Staff were fine when i was in. Tried the kolsch which was also ok. Much better than the nearby narrow boat.
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tries hard to be cool , but at the end of the day its still an M&B chain pub. and that shows in it service and lack of quality
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Definitely worth visiting. Great variety of well-kept beers, and decor wonderful.
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A Victorian Pub with high tiled ceilings and embossed glass and mirrors evident throughout, mostly original Victorian fittings I would guess. Three ales available; Taylor Landlord and Shepherd Neame Spitfire amongst them as well as an above average selection of continental and world draught beers in eveidence. These included Sierra Nevada Pale, Paulaner Helles and Kuppers Kolsch, all of which I was happy to try. Will definitely visit again.
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Went here last Friday and it was rammed but I cant understand why. Much better pubs in the area although the interior is nice. Took 15 minutes to get served as only the very front of the bar seems to get served and most of the staff seemed to be wandering around doing nothing at the back of it. �3 a pint.
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It's quite a decent place, with a good range of continental beers and English ciders. The food's rather nice too; I recommend the sausage and mash. It's quite pricey but then one must expect that in N.1. The staff are usually quite helpful, although less so on weekends. Frankly, though, the bar snacks are absurdly pretentious. Everyone wants mini-cheddars really, not bloomin' wasabi peas.
kid_b - 16 Jan 2009 00:31 |
Negative: The unhelpfulness of the staff, the interminable wait for so-so food, and a major shortage of seating.
Positive: Good ales selection, and impressive choice of German lagers.
Bearing the above in mind., take your pick
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An appaulingly rude management of late . Little respect for customers .The current small minded ethic seems to be , turn up the music so that people cannot hear each other and just throw alcohol down their throats .The worst management for a LONG , LONG , TIME . Ruined the pub , the sooner gone , the better !!!
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More than unimpressed with this place. The only redeeming factor was my friends that I'd gone there with. I'd give this one a wide berth if I was you!
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I'd heard good things about this and visited after a visit to the Wenlock at the weekend. I wasn't terribly impressed, but I suspect that after 11pm on a Saturday night, when the place was heaving, probably wasn't the best time to assess the pub's qualities. On the plus side it's a very impressive building, full of ornate glasswork and fairly unspoilt - quite unusual in what is really a quiet residential backstreet. And I can imagine that of a weekday afternoon it would probably be a lovely place to peruse the paper with a beer in hand. But when I visited it was rammed full of young trendies, very noisy and not at all relaxing. Seemed to have a few different ales but I have to admit that the number of ales had previously meant I had to stick with a spirits measure...
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The new landlady's lovely! Good food and good beers.. It's worth getting off of Upper St to search for this place.. It would benefit from a lick of paint but that doesn't really affect the laid back vibe..
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Lovely old pub with a great range of beers and friendly staff who are quite willing to let you taste before buying.
An example to a lot of others in the area.
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One of the finest pubs in London, and I've been to a few. Situated in a quiet, leafy, suburban Islington street, the Island Queen has a laid back bohemian feel, without being contrived. The impressive decor adds to the overall ambience. Weston's cider was superb.
Contrary to a couple of the reviews posted on this page, the staff were excellent. They were all polite, friendly and efficient. In particular, the landlady was hospitable, professional, and made us feel really welcome. My only complaint is that the Island Queen is 180 miles away from Liverpool, so I can't drink there more often.
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Didn't do it for me, staff a bit uninterested (it was just after 12 on a Saturday afternoon, decor too staged hippy for my liking but worse than that, only one beer on and that (Landlord) wasn't at its best.
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TT Landlord and Deuchars IPA on. I had the Landlord, which was OK � at �3.05 a pint much the going rate in London now.
The Island Queen is located in a very quiet road a few yards from the Regents Canal. The building itself is quite impressive. Very high ceiling with tall, clear windows letting in a lot of light at the front of the pub. Numerous original Victorian features � etched mirrors etc � remain, plus what looks like lino floor covering giving the place a very authentic feel to it. Snack food was OK � I had a steak baguette for �5.95; but have yet to try the main meals. Definitely worth dragging yourself away from the Wenlock to find this little gem.
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Hoo-Ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Early in the morning...
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Recently moved to the Area and stumbled apon this Pub. It has a warm cozy feel and is tucked away which is great because you get the locals and regulars. It has just recently undergone new managment which is refreshing to see a women be a pub lady seems warm and welcoming. The food is alright for the price range but dosn't stand out. Quiz night is fun and the pub is at the fullest then. I love the old victorian decor, def one of those places your glad you found but want to keep it to yourself so that it dosn't become mass populated.
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What can I say? A boozer I have lovedm whose upper room I have partied in on numerous occasions has been chain ganged, if a visit the other evening is anything to go by. Even the arrangement of the furniture in the upper floor - tables and sofas now space-wastingly arranged in ackward rows and pile of MDF tastefully leaning against the fireplace - imply a contempt for the customer bordering on disgraceful, that was fully back up the inept and aggressive bar staff we had deal with to obtain drinks. Boycott. It used to be great and a welcome relief from the chainstore horror boozers of Upper Street. It ain't now. Avoid.
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How times change. Was in the Island Queen the other night and the service has become to say the least a little angsty. You can't you not play your own music if you rent the room upstairs (which is lovely decor wise and a bit of a find), as the venue doesn't have a PRS license for anything but library music (!).
Not only this but a member of staff helping out when off duty (and drunk) who then got abusive with a lady in our party and tried to start a fight with two different people and called a customer "a b**ch". Hardly inspiring customer service! I hear it's become a chain pub now so don't be fooled by the (admittedly lovely) Edwardian interior. Same jobsworth attitude you get in chain pubs too often. Avoid.
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A pint of Harvey's, a gorgeous Victorian interior and a lovely backstreet location make this a real winner. The only slight problem is the inevitable trustafarian invasion and the fact that it's a lot busier than the oasis it used to be. The Island Queen remains one of Islington's best options.
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Retains much of its original Victorian interior and is worth visiting for that alone - but, based on yesterdays visit, this pub appears to attract the young upwardly mobile Islington types and there is not much in the way of real ale to attract the beer buff.
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Food very variable. However, the beer, staff and decor make the Island Queen an excellent pub which has a very nice local community feel about it.
It would be near perfect if they could sort the food out, i.e. serve a small range of quality bar snacks rather than the over ambitious current menu, or, get a new chef.
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This pub has a good atmosphere, traditional decor with a hint of modernity and an impressive range of ciders.
However, when we went in for drinks and food last night we were very disappointed.
My companions were not impressed with their food (half a roast chicken with three cold roast potatoes rolling around the plate and a beef burger which was unappetising) but at least their meals were edible.
I chose and ordered a seafood platter only to be told some time later that it was not available. I then ordered the "posh mushrooms". When they arrived, the some of the mushrooms were still raw (as was the garlic), there was no sign of any butter and the bread which accompanied it should have been baked before being dished up.
When I took my plate back to the bar, I was offered a refund and an apology. It seemed though that my complaint did not come as any surprise.
We will not be returning to the Island Queen for food.
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Good pub to go and have a sit down with your mates and a chat. Not far from Angel. The food is very good with some nice options for the veggies. Friendly staff. There was only one real ale (London Pride)and a cider on tap when I went, and also some European beers I think. Quiet area, not many tourists. Comfy. Big function room upstairs. Nice.
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just far enough from angel to avoid the cretinous masses but still be handy (if you can find it), attractive pub with a wide range of beers, mostly belgian but with 2 or 3 ales as well. the usual food bias for this kind of place but overall pretty good. I think it's run by the same people as the flask in highgate and the gate at hampstead heath station.
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Popped in last Thursday;a new pub for me. Deuchars was okay.No other real ales were one which was a shame.A mixed clientele, all seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Didn't stop but probably would have done had there been more ales on.
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beautiful place...friendly staff...nice beer...good quality food...quiet Angel side street
anonymous - 27 Mar 2007 23:47 |
Nice pub. Deuchars and Pride on tap, comfy seating, beautiful interior, quiet road. Worth seeking out.
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Open plan but interesting looking local. Beer OK. Tables set for Sunday lunch (very typical) but no-one eating. Better than I made it sound.
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The Island Queen is usually uncomfortably busy and it takes forever to get served on a Friday night. The upstairs no-smoking area is overwhelmed by the cooking fumes from the kitchen. We ditched this as a post-work boozer earlier this year and switched to the quieter Charles Lamb, which is now equally busy but they at least have a dog.
anonymous - 5 Dec 2006 01:24 |
Not eaten here. but what a nice classic boozer! had many a nice evening holed up in here.
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i suprised by a few of the comments below about the food as i've found it to be really good. i generally eat here more in the evenings though so haven't been in when its packed.
They do some great homemade food like the Cottage pie and Macaroni cheese and at �6.50 for that its not expensive.
I know its famous for its Ales but also does some other weird lagers that ive yet to try like Schneiderwiess etc.
Great pub.
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Visited here with a mate on Sunday afternoon. We'd already been here at the end of a Saturday night some months before and wanted to check it out at a quieter time. The decor and beer selection is great, as is the atmosphere, but our main reason for going on Sunday was for a roast. Sadly, we arrived around 2.00pm to be greeted with a sign saying that the roasts had sold out. Opted for standard menu options (bangers&mash and fishcakes). Despite the fact that the place was not that busy, it took an hour (and several prompts) for our food to arrive. When it did it was mediocre (altough the gravy on the bangers and mash got the thumbs up). To their credit, the staff were really friendly and we managed to get free desserts with no problems.
I'd come here again but only for a drink and only if I was in the area. Probably wouldn't make the trip down from NW3 otherwise.
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Its a good pub for beer. Rotating guest ales (often something very unusual, real stouts for example) plus Tim Taylor Landlord. More Belgians on tap and in bottle than you could get through in a session and a a general smattering of continental goodness in the fridge and on the pumps. The only major beer type I have NOT has the opportunity to enjoy here is mild - but that's hardly surprising. On this basis, and because this site is "BEERintheevening", I give the delightful Island Queen a high score. The last poster is right about the food, but if you are only in it for the food best stick to restaurants. So don't let him put you off discovering a real gem.
anonymous - 5 Jul 2006 15:01 |
Last autumn, having heard great reviews from friends, I visited this place in a group of 10 people for Sunday lunch. After well over an hour's wait, and a gentle reminder to the bar staff, we were informed that the lamb was finished. We were pretty peeved at this but chose other dishes, and, after visiting the kitchen to see what was going on, were given a free round. The food then came in dribs and drabs over the next hour so that some of us had long finished before some had started, and one person, in famished desperation, had to make do with the wrong order.
Last weekend myself and three others from that party found ourselves in Islington, and, after finding the Narrowboat pub packed, thought it reasonableto give this one another try. After all, we had been in a large group before. Forty five minutes after ordering we enquired after our food with the surly barman, who suggested that we had only just ordered (we ordered with him!) and that we were at the back of the queue. After three more visits to the bar over the next half hour we finally got our food. A couple of mouthfuls of roast meat, plonked on top of a pile of mash to make it look more plentiful, was worth neither the money, wait or general stress levels of eating in this place. There are loads of great pubs in this area, i'll be staying away from this one.
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I like it - ok - full of the usual 'Islington meeja' types, but then this is Islington. You gets what you pays for. Good range of beer. Nice pub. Slow staff, and on the night I was there they also kicked out early - so obviously can't be bothered with their late license - I was there on a wednesday and they weren't open till 12 for sure.
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breeeeliant place jawohl
anonymous - 14 Mar 2006 16:20 |
As Grinerine points out, this is something that comes down to 'personal experience and opinion'. As I said in my post, I've had lots of great times in the Island Queen and there are (or have been) some great staff working there. My personal experience on the evening of Sat 4th March was a very very poor one, for the reasons I explained. I certainly saw no evidence of the two male staff who were on being 'into providing good and polite service'. They weren't slow, just sloppy and morose. Maybe it was a one-off, but it certainly happened.
And if the pub does have a late license (to be honest, I didn't see the times posted outside), until 1.00pm on a Sat, then all the punters were thrown out 1 hour 40 minutes early, as we were out the door (in precisely the way described) by 11.20pm. This was annoying at the time - and is even more so now that Grinerine has pointed out the existence of a late license. My suspicion at the time was that the two staff were off out somewhere else after work (and perhaps wanted to be there earlier in the evening, and resented working, hence their manner) - the fact that they evidently closed the pub over an hour and a half earlier than it should have been closed on a Sat evening does nothing to shake that suspicion.
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I have to take issue with the last post. First of all I think the staff in here are very good - the only problem is they are so into providing good and polite service they can be a tad slow. But that is all down to personal experience and opinion, on which pgw and I clearly differ.
What I do object to is the assertion that the pub doesn't have a late license because it does, and the opening times are clearly indicated on the sandwich board outside. They are open til midnight Sunday-Thursday and 1am on Friday and Saturday night. Pretty good really, for a pub in a residential street.
anonymous - 6 Mar 2006 11:45 |
Been to this pub loads of times in the past and always had a good time. Architecturally it's fantastic - windows and fittings etc. Range of beers are good. It's pretty expensive though. And the last time I went, the service was amateurish and morose (how many pubs these days have people working behind the bar who actually know what they are doing?) There's been some great staff here in the past, but the two guys who were working there the other night looked miserable as sin, and consistently pulled pints that settled well below a full glass and then had to be asked to top it up (and at these prices, you want a full goddamn pint). There is a sign saying 'Ask us to top up . . . ', but you shouldn't have to ask. The other thing was kicking out time - the pub clearly doesn't have any kind of extended licence (fair enough), but I think it's a pain in the arse that people who are *obviously* ready to leave and are *equally obviously* waiting for someone to come back from the toilets before leaving (saying so to the staff on more than one occasion), should be constantly harried to 'COME ON NOW!!', as if we were still sat supping full pints and ignoring them. These two jokers may have had somewhere to be after work, but people who have spent around �13 per 4-person round all evening deserve a bit more consideration. This seems to be the way these days - great pubs, great beers, inadequate staff and a we've-got-your-money-now-get-lost attitude. I'll go somewhere else from now on
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Good sunday roast. Surprisingly quiet at 1pm on a Sunday. This is truly a great pub.
anonymous - 19 Feb 2006 15:44 |
Expensive, but a great place to go if you want to taste a range of well-kept beers, rather than get bladdered. German wheat beers, and a choice thereof; Belgian fruit beer; and several tasty ales. Well worth a visit.
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A great pub, and I'm glad it hasn't been over-run by the Upper Street masses, who are typically too lazy to stray from the main drag. It has a no smoking upstairs room if downstairs looks too busy for you. Bar service was very poor last time I was there (about a fortnight ago), so I hope the licensees can get their act together on this.
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Saturday 7th Jan 2006
Hello,
Went to the Island Queen on saturday night. Great beer: not very good food and student type service. Messed up the order and then had to reheat the food. Not good. This is not a gastro pub: half way between pub food and gastro. Then went to the Duke of Cambridge. Islington - trendy and probably intimidating for real ale types. But the beer is real and organic: several flavours. Brilliant. The food is fantastic but more expensive then the Island Queen: you get what you pay for.
Adrian Scott
[email protected]
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Made the trip here for the first time tonight after hearing good things. Very pleased I did.
This pub applies the same formula as The Crown Tavern on Clerkenwell Green, the Castle at Farringdon and the Crown and Sceptre in Fitzrovia - Victorian pub with a scruffy makeover, retaining original features beneath a muted paint job. Great, great beer selection.
The differences between this pub and the others above seem to be wonderful service (ever smiling barmaid twice came to our table to ask if we wanted a new drink) and the fact that they do properly kept real ales (Pride, Deuchars IPA and Landlord).
First impressions - a great pub. I will be going back on Sunday to try out the roast.
anonymous - 4 Jan 2006 23:23 |
A bit hidden away, but worth seeking out.Good selection of beers from home and abroad.Wonderful inerior.Toilets let it down though.
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A really good mixture of modern approach - draught continental beer as well as English, unusual menu - but in a traditional setting beaurifully decorated.
Service friendly and unhurried rather than slow and lots of room for big parties and spaces for the more private to sit.
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A pub with many historic details. A pity with the dull, modern windows facing the street. Nice interior.
Found Inveralmond Thrappeldouser and K�ppers K�lsch here in Sept. 05
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The decor etc in this pub's ok but I won't be back. Halfway through serving me the phone rang and the barmaid said "Back in a minute" and went and answered it.
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My favorite pub in islington , come on guys this should be rated much higher than 6.6 get them votes in
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Agree with previous comments about the odd, lush but quite wonderful interior. Very laid-back, gentle pub thats not easy to find but well worth the effort.
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If you're in Islington, give this place a visit - it's stunning, idiosyncratic and has a nice vibe to it.
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Really nice place good selection of beers and the Angus steak burger was superb.
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Having lived in Islington for 5 years and now living in Stoke Newington I cant help but feel disappointed with myself for not venturing around the corner to one of the most stunning pubs I have been to in London in the 10 years I have been living here. Coming from Nottingham, a place well known for its historic pubs I'm used to fantastic pubs filled with history , charm and atmosphere. That was until recently when I finally went to visit The Island Queen, Noel Rd Islington. You cant help but be impressed by the magnificent Victorian windows that go as high as the enormous ceilings. The horseshoe bar seems dwarfed by the grand mirrored walls which you cant help but sit and stare at. It was a Sunday and indeed a sunny day and at first we were reluctant to sit inside a bar even though we were really relishing a Sunday lunch to nurse our hangover from the previous night. But once we entered the pub we were smitten. Serving a varied selection of Sunday Roasts, Bar snacks, a great selection of wine and not to mention the fantastic beers on offer (im hoping to try the raspberry leemans on our next visit) The bar staff were friendly and all smiles and who wouldn�t be working in such a beautifully decadent environment. Instead of s Sunday roast I opted for the fish fingers on ciabatta with lime mayo and a round glass of rioja and sat back reading the Sunday papers. The furniture all very inviting and comfortable with the added bonus of the music being subtle and understated. I could have spent the whole afternoon there if the sun wasn�t calling me. If ever you are in Islington please divert yourself from the trappings of upper street and head south to the tiny back streets. Noel rd is where you 'll find this Victorian treasure, im seriously considering moving back to Islington so that I can be closer to this bar. If not within it! Enjoy
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Very handsome Victorian interior: high ceiling, lots of mirrors and windows, big wooden bar. Two real ales, comfortable, traditional, and slightly shabby. I liked it a lot.
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Splendidly ornate pub, a real back street gem.
Timothy Taylor's wasn't on on my visit, but did a good pint of Pride.
Not yuppified
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Very good pub near the canal and the buzz of Islington. Good food and 3 well-kept real ales (Tim Taylor's Landlord, Fuller's Jack Frost and Adnams' Bitter the last time I pooped in, but varies). Can get very busy at the weekend, but a great place for a meal and a couple of pints on a weekday evening.
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A true example of a traditional London pub. Its ornate features create a timewarp to the turn of the century, and the beer is absolutely excellent. The Timothy Taylor's Landlord was exquisite last night for example. Food is served but I didn't get the chance to try any.
This is a back street gem, and I recommend a visit as part of a good canal-basin crawl.
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Great place tucked away from the maddening crowds that now flock to Upper St. Beautifully original in features, outlay and atmosphere, let's hope that it is not overtaken by the masses.
Wanosh - 26 Apr 2004 17:51 |
Has got to be one of the most impressive looking pubs in London. Amazed it is not on this site already. Terrific London Pride too and it's nicely hidden away from the Upper Street scrum.
ck - 7 Nov 2003 13:17 |
