please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A bit of a dive - not in a shabby way as it's clean and in a good state of repair. An old boozer that's had the guts ripped out of it to make one large room instead of two or three smaller bars (like 95% of pubs these days) and had all the charm and character knocked out of it. NO real ales at all - not even any pumps for it. However, there was a selection of bottled ales hidden away in the chiller cabinets at a very reasonable £3 a bottle. There used to be regular live music before the pub's closure and refurb, but live bands only seem to play occasionally now. A new jam/open mic night has started so maybe that will liven the place up a bit. Free Wi-Fi and cheap bottled ales seem to be the only thing it has going for it at the moment, although the undiscriminating drinker will probably find pints of the usual generic yellow fizzy pisswater to their liking.
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I like the pub itself; it's on the main road, but I'd call it a backstreet boozer. It's a proper pub-pub~unmessed-around-with, and just as a pub should be
B U T.......................
my [add expletive of your choice]; the pints are expensive. Even in the trendy, up-market. full-of-the-beautiful-people pubs in the area an ale isn't that costly. I've become immune to being charged huge prices for a pint in London and surrounding area; and am not naive nor ignorant~I appreciate the double-whammy which the pub and brewing trades have encountered: the Credit Crunch, which has meant that most businesses have had to put up prices, but on top of that the punitive duty increases which the Government has specifically targeted at beer; then you have the ridiculously-high rents which PubCos impose; nevertheless, notwithstanding that these prices are high. There is no qualification to the high prices: they are just high.
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Gret live music here
every second Friday
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Feels like an archetypal town pub on entering with pool table. Only a handful of people in while other drinking establishments on the High Road were quite busy on a warm Saturday evening. They had a 'Shelf of Shite' behind the bar which looked like an ideal place to offload the missus's collection of paperweights, thimbles and other associated junk. They had pride on but no one was drinking it so went for the Kronenbourg instead. �3.80 for Kronenbourg coupled with the ultra loud music (seemingly for no ones benefit as some of the few souls inside were trying to watch the Champion's League Final) and all of a sudden it's pretty obvious why this place is empty. There's a beer 'garden' of astrofturf out the back. Not the best of materials when the main occupants are smokers. It does have the potential to be a reasonable pub but not with those prices and that unnecessary racket.
anonymous - 23 May 2010 11:47 |
I went in here recently One afternoon for a quick few Pints of Pride and found it a nice traditional Old style Pub which has Not been wrecked by the Gastro foodie brigade like so many good Pubs have been these days. Good friendly Staff nice old style surroundings And the Ale was good so all in all I will definitely visit again when Passing.
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This place is a dive. The only thing more offensive than the dilapidated shoddy interior and the outrageous prices are the regulars. It's the sort of place that attracts scummy, ignorant, inbred gutter rats the like of which you would never want to drink from the same glass. The 'garden' (a strip of astroturf in a car park) is a joke and seems to be filled with single mums chain smoking and drinking whilst screaming at their fifteen kids. The barmaid who last served me actually appeared disgusted that she had to drag her backside from her bar stool to serve me a drink. All without a word or a smile.
Hopefully this place will burn down and someone can put a proper pub in its place.
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A very old school interior which doesn't look as if it would have changed much since the 1950s, but for the addition of various fruit and games machines. It was unsurprisingly very quiet on the weekday afternoon I visited, but still quite pleasant. Quite interesting music playing at a less intrusive volume than Strongers evidently experienced. I quite liked this.
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I was in here on Saturday night and the pub only had 12 other people in it which isn�t a lot, especially for a large pub like this. The volume of the jukebox was set at tinnitus level with songs like �In the Air Tonight� (Genesis) bouncing off the walls and straight into my brain.
Various lagers are available alongside Courage Best and London Pride. There is a pool table and a dartboard, which is great to see. There is also a projector screen at the rear of the pub for showing Sky Sports and Setanta. The barmaid seemed very friendly and was having a laugh with some locals at the bar.
I think that I�ll try it in here again when there is a football match on as I could see this pubs potential, but I think I may have just picked a crap night to visit.
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Great boozer, in the traditional sense. Nothing has been changed in The Hops since about 1924 but thats part of the charm
I've been a regular there for about 5 years and can't see that changing- unless the Stella gets to �5 a pint- which will probably be next year
Friendly regulars, great juke box (which the landlord lets me keep a couple of my own Eighties mixes on), big screen for the Rugby (or Football, if you're that way inclined). Also a great recruitment policy for bar staff which favours the more attractive ladies
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The Malt and Hops is a great pub, has a pool table, a juke box, a dart borad, screens to watch the football, great locals and lovely bar staff who are friendly and would do anything for you.
Not many pubs like this around!!!!
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Pool tables are now a rarity in Finchley and Malt and Hops has the best in the area. Juke Box is conveniently situated in close proximity as is the bar. Quality beer and a proper pub atmosphere..a change from the wine bar and 'chain' style pubs. Well worth a visit
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I made the mistake of asking a lady a tthe bar what it was she was drinking, only because I had never seen that type of drink before. ( I had gone to Finchley to interview with a company - I am from Canada). Her husband must have thought I was trying to pick her up or something because he came at me with every expletive under the sun and got right in my face. I tried to explain and before I could, his wife told him to calm down and "can't you see he's Canadian?" came out of her mouth. He asked if I was and then proceeded to apologize and bought me 2 pints! I have been back to the Malts and Hops every trip back to England(I got the job). I guess I am becoming somewhat of a regular... the owner calls me Captain Canada!
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A page from the diary of my travels:
I started very early morning to visit all the famous places in London. All of the streets were full of tourists and foreign languages. After a very tiring day I decide it's time to sit somewhere and a have peace and quiet.
The first pub that I visited was quiet but the atmosphere wasn't comfortable, second had too much crowd and I waited almost 20 minutes for my order. After this I decided to go back where I stay in North Finchley. I missed my bus stop and I got off the bus near Sainsbury, then I saw a pub opposite and decided to go for another drink.
This pub was very quiet and very nice, all the decoration looked like home, there was an open fire and a welcoming smile from the girl behind the bar. After a while I heard all the people in the pub bang on the tables which I realised was in time with a Phil Collins song and they seemed to be having good fun.
I spent a very good time with this people and I know that if I come back next time to London it will be this pub, Malt and Hops that will be my first stop.
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The Malt & Hops has some of the best bar staff in Finchley!! I've worked there for 2 years and could never imagine working in any of the other pubs onthe High Street!
This pub is full of regulars but 'out of towners' are also more then welcome. Because it's at the 'quiet' end of North Finchley, it doean't get much attention but it should as this place has so much to offer. A great Guv, great music, and fantastic atmosphere makes it the best pub in North Finchley, and I'm sure others would agree!
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Dropped in for a pint not long ago, for the first time in many years. Good that there was cask conditioned bitter - but it was only just about drinkable.
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Top pub - by far the best in the surrounding Finchley area. Yes the toilets could do with some attention, but lets be fair, who drinks from urinals??? The ales could be more extensive, however, a nice selection of lagers is available. A pool table and brand new dartboard (at last!!!) are on opposite sides of the pub and both in good condition. The barstaff are very good. I would reccomend you try this pub sooner rather than later, i.e. before the nursery across the road decides to move here!!!
anonymous - 20 Apr 2006 16:34 |
This used to be a great pub, unfortunately even after the men�s loo refurb its still in need of lots more tlc, its in a bad state of repair, carpet is grotty, behind the bar looks suspect and the ladies are pretty grim. Also since the 'Torrington' and the 'Coach Stop' (aka the cherry tree) closed down the pub is inundated with riff raff, I now drink elsewhere in the 'Elephant Inn' (a fabulous place and a traditional pub), in fact you'll find a lot of ex malt and hops regulars have done the same thing!
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Fantastic small traditional pub. Now under inspired new management. Great Jukebox and relaxed atmosphere.
Friendly staff and regulars. Lots of events like 'The Sunday People' and 'Jenny Jones'.
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All in all, a great local pub with very friendly bar staff and an excellent selection on jukebox, even if it doesn't always play the songs that are chosen. Regulars seem friendly enough, but will leave you alone if a quiet pint is what you are after.
bif18 - 25 May 2005 13:59 |
All in all, a great local pub with very friendly bar staff and an excellent selection on jukebox, even if it doesn't always play the songs that are chosen. Regulars seem friendly enough, but will leave you alone if a quiet pint is what you are after.
anonymous - 25 May 2005 13:58 |
tonyw, perhaps I am wrong in my judgement and i may be willing to retract my comment. I have not seen the gents refurbished toilets so i will indeed pay a visit. i will however stand by my comments towards the regulars and the way they portrayed themselves. are there any events this weekend?
anonymous - 13 Jan 2005 14:12 |
I can't speak for the attitude of the regulars but being one I must admit I've never noticed us being particularly intimidating or rude. As for noisy, well, people might tend to make a noise in a pub.
Regarding the state of the gents' toilets the previous poster is correct - they were disgraceful. That's why the pub landlord had them completely ripped out and refurbished some months ago.
The previous anonymous poster appears to be posting rather out-of-date comments. (James left even before the bogs were refurbished, by the way, not that there's any connection!)
tonyw - 12 Jan 2005 18:01 |
this pub is possibly the dirtiest pub i have been in. after a visit to the toilet i was tempted to bring a bottle of bleach in with me should i ever visit this pub again. The regulars we rude and noisy. They make you feel intimidated and are generally rather unpleasant. I generally didn't feel welcome in the pub. However, i must pay tribute to the manager that was there. His name is James and he was a friendly chap. Always smiling and even if he was busy he would at least acknowledge you so you didn't feel like an idiot.
anonymous - 12 Jan 2005 10:18 |
I visit this pub on a regular basis. It has a great atmosphere and you always receive a warm welcome. Good selection of beers and lagers. There is a beer garden where BBQs are held periodically. Also great entertainment laid on on a fairly regular basis.
Nick Taylor - 9 Aug 2004 13:37 |
the locals are friendly and not a "clic" you can sit in the sun and chat, good party nights on some Fridays,good food.
mary williams - 11 Jul 2004 17:44 |
there's no thing special about this pub, but that's why i like it so much, it's just a pub, it's a proper genuine pub, and that's it . nice place to be .
anonymous - 7 Jun 2004 13:32 |
This is one of the few remaining "proper pubs" in the area. It's not themed and it's not full of chrome and stainless steel. Just a real pub with real regulars and real ale (Courage Best Bitter and Fuller's London Pride on handpumps). A bit run down and shabby, but friendly with a good atmosphere.
Tony Walton - 10 Nov 2003 17:22 |
